Is self-consciousness a condition of possibility for knowledge? Does Kant's theory of self-consciousness commit us to transcendental idealism? How convincing is Kant's theory of self-consciousness? How should we understand transcendental idealism? What is Hegel's alternative? How do Kant and Hegel conceive of the beautiful? How do their conceptions of beauty relate to their metaphysics? In this volume, some of the world's most renowned Kant and Hegel scholars seek to provide answers.

In the scholarly debate, controversy surrounds the function and significance of Kant's Opus postumum for his philosophy. Dina Emundts demonstrates that the main function of the unpublished works is to develop a system of all the concepts required for empirical knowledge, and why this is indispensable for the foundation of an empirical physics. She presents a detailed analysis of the relationship of the conception of the Opus postumum to Kant's earlier writings. Beyond this, she examines further questions: why does Kant consider the foundation of the empirical sciences to be necessary, and why is this a task for a philosopher; how does Kant justify the possibility of scientific empirical knowledge; how does he proceed with the project of providing the necessary conceptual tools for an empirical physics?