Versuch einer neuen Theorie des menschlichen Vorstellungsvermögens.

Simplifying and unifying Kantian philosophy

First edition of the author's chief work, his attempt to simplify and unify Kantian theory. Reinhold (1757- 1823) was a key figure in popularizing Kantian ideas in the late 18th century, and was among the philosopher's earliest and most successful advocates. However he also sought to amend the flaws in Kant's philosophy, and in so doing, his reading and reinterpretation of Kant as published in the Versuch einer neuen Theorie provided the foundations to many subsequent idealistic interpretations of Kantianism. "It would be difficult to exaggerate the influence of Reinhold's inquiries into systematicity and first principles upon an entire generation of philosophers... this project was enthusiastically embraced by Fichte and the young Schelling, and inspired others, notably Hegel, to re-examine (and to question) the alleged connection between systematic form and self-evident first principles... Reinhold's work remains one of the clearest examples of a thoroughgoing 'foundationalist' project in the history of European philosophy" (D. Breazeale in the Stanford Online History of Philosophy).