Kant declared that philosophy began in 1781 with his Critique of Pure Reason. In 1806 Hegel announced that philosophy had now been completed. Eckart F rster examines the reasons behind these claims and assesses the steps that led in such a short time from Kant's beginning to Hegel's end. He concludes that, in an unexpected yet significant sense, both Kant and Hegel were indeed right. Presents a novel interpretation of the development of German idealism that is rich in both historical depth and philosophical insight...F rster sets forth a historically nuanced and philosophically discerning interpretation of the central debates of the era. --Peter Yong, Philosophy in Review [F rster's] book does not disappoint...The amount of material covered by F rster is impressive...F rster's book is rich in specificity...Wherever the discussion goes, it is going to have to go on by taking F rster's big picture and all his detailed accounts into account. --Terry Pinkard, Notre Dame Philosophical Reviews F rster's command of the historical sources is most impressive. Moreover, this book is clearly written, and Bowman's translation is commendable. Scholars and graduate students will welcome this masterpiece. --J. M. Fritzman, Choice