This book offers translations of the initial (1781–89) critical reactions to Kant’s philosophy. Also included is a selection of writings by Kant’s contemporaries who took on the task of defending the critical philosophy against early attacks. This collection, which includes a glossary of key terms and biographical sketches of the critics on both sides of the debate, is a major addition to Kant scholarship and should be seen as a companion volume to the Cambridge Edition of the Works of Immanuel Kant.

Acknowledgements; Frequently cited texts and abbreviations; Introduction: major trends in the early empiricist reception of Kant's critical philosophy; Part I. Feder/Garve and Garve: 1. The Göttingen review; 2. The Garve review: Christian Garve, 'Critique of Pure Reason by Immanuel Kant'; Part II. The Transcendental Aesthetic: 3. Dietrich Tiedemann, 'On the Nature of Metaphysics: An Examination of Professor Kant's Principles - Against the Aesthetic'; 4. [Hermann Andreas Pistorius], 'Elucidations of Professor Kant's 'Critique of Pure Reason,' by Johann Schultze'; 5. Johann Georg Heinrich Feder, On Space and Causality: An Examination of the Kantian Philosophy, 1-64, 84*-91*; 6. [Anonymous], 'On Space and Causality: An Examination of the Kantian Philosophy by Johann Georg Heinrich Feder'; 7. Friedrich Gottlob Born, Investigation into the First Grounds of the Doctrine of the Senses, 87-92; Part II. Idealism: 8. Johann Georg Heinrich Feder, On Space and Causality: An Examination of the Kantian Philosophy, 61-83*, 114-118; 9. J. C. G. Schaumann, On the Transcendental Aesthetic: A Critical Attempt, 131-175; 10. Friedrich Heinrich Jacobi, 'On Transcendental Idealism'; 11. [Hermann Andreas Pistorius], 'Critique of Pure Reason by Immanuel Kant'; 12. Friedrich Gottlob Born, Investigation into the First Grounds of the Doctrine of the Senses, 117-120, 141-153; Part IV. The Categories: 13. C. G. Selle, 'Attempt at a Proof that there are no Pure Concepts of Reason that are Independent of Experience'; 14. Dietrich Tiedemann, 'Continuation of the Examination of Professor Kant's Thoughts about the Nature of Metaphysics - Against the Analytic'; 15. [Johann Schultz], 'Institutiones Logicae et Metaphysica by Jo. Aug. Henr. Ulrich'; 16. Gottlob August Tittle, On Kantian Forms of Thought or Categories, 3-41, 103-11; Part V. Empiricism vs. Purism: 17. Carl Christian Erhard Schmid, Some Remarks about Empiricism and Purism in Philosophy Occasioned by Selle's Principles of Pure Philosophy'; 18. [Hermann Andreas Pistorius], 'On Carl Christian Erhard Schmid's essay about Kant's Purism and Selle's Empiricism'; Appendix A: about the authors; Appendix B: biographical sketches of figures in early Kant reception; Notes; Glossary; Bibliography; Index.