Introdcing Kant

So my basic understanding of what Kant is trying to do is thus:


Metaphysics can be considered a system. Insofar as there is a system to science, a system to writing, a system to education, there is also a system to the universe and things beyond physics. From here, we get a rather precise (as opposed to a more Platonic-ish) view of the nature of the metaphysical. Where Kant is in line with Plato is that Metaphysics are a priori, they exist, and can be known, before we come into being. In this regard, Kant considers morals metaphysical, because they are timeless and universal, and it is our duty to discover and adhere to these metaphysical morals. Again, Kant uses things like Pure Reason, Freedom, Rationalism, and a slew of other terms and definitions which all fit into his modernist enlightenment philosophy. In part because there are so many terms, and in part because I don't remember or know the way in which he is using them, I am not posting them here. However, I do know that he takes the idea of freedom very seriously, as well as the notion it is a function of the purely rational mind. Duty, to Kant, is something to which we are bound - to Kant, we are bound to Morality because of its metaphysicallity, and from here he gets his categorical imperative.

Now, once Kant gets into the specific introductions of each book, he loses me. In other words, I can read what is on the page, but I fail to see how it relates to his previous statements. I look forward to discussing this in class.