In this course we will read the beginning of Kant’s First Critique. We will read about 150 pages. It is often going to be a close reading, line by line. There are no prerequisites, but it is not an easy course. Kant is difficult, especially his main work, the “Critique of Pure Reason.” We will use the old Kemp-Smith translation. But there are many other good translations. We will start with the prefaces and introductions and then concentrate on the so-called “Analytic,” especially the “Deduction of the Categories.” There we will read slowly. The goal is to arrive at an understanding of what Kant means by notions such as representation (Vorstellung), understanding (Verstand), imagination (Einbildungskraft), intuition (Anschauung), concept (Begriff), time and space, consciousness, synthesis, categories, schematism, the apriori, appearance, and the thing in itself. These are not common-sense notions at all. They are difficult to grasp. It is also a goal to arrive at an understanding of what Kant’s “transcendental philosophy” is and why he developed it. Kant often thought in Latin, even when he wrote in German, and his German is extremely dense and difficult. We will read in English, which is sometimes simplifying and easier than German. Knowledge of German is not required, but it will be helpful.