Kant was the first and the finest philosopher in the great German metaphysical tradition. A somewhat eccentric figure, he never left his native town of Konigsberg on the Baltic coast - yet the influence of his all-embracing philosophical system spread throughout the world. He famously declared, from the crooked timber of humanity, nothing straight can ever be made. This series of guides cover the lives and ideas of the major philosophers. The author's concise and comprehensible style highlights the major advances in philosophy, as well as the men who conceived them and the times in which they lived. Containing quotes, insights and anecdotes, the aim of this series is to clarify the mysteries of philosophy for the general reader.