Critical philosophy

Critical \Crit"ic*al\ (kr[i^]t"[i^]*kal), a. [See {Critic}, n.,
   {Crisis}.]
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   1. Qualified to criticise, or pass judgment upon, literary or
      artistic productions.
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            It is submitted to the judgment of more critical
            ears to direct and determine what is graceful and
            what is not.                          --Holder.
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   2. Pertaining to criticism or the critic's art; of the nature
      of a criticism; accurate; as, critical knowledge; a
      critical dissertation.
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   3. Inclined to make nice distinctions, or to exercise careful
      judgment and selection; exact; nicely judicious.
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            Virgil was so critical in the rites of religion,
            that he would never have brought in such prayers as
            these, if they had not been agreeable to the Roman
            customs.                              --Bp.
                                                  Stillingfleet.
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   4. Inclined to criticise or find fault; fastidious; captious;
      censorious; exacting.
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            O gentle lady, do not put me to 't,
            For I am nothing, if not critical.    --Shak.
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   5. Characterized by thoroughness and a reference to
      principles, as becomes a critic; as, a critical analysis
      of a subject.
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   6. [See {Crisis}.] Pertaining to, or indicating, a crisis,
      turning point, or specially important juncture; important
      as regards consequences; hence, of doubtful issue;
      attended with risk; dangerous; as, the critical stage of a
      fever; a critical situation.
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            Our circumstances are indeed critical. --Burke.
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            The small moment, the exact point, the critical
            minute, on which every good work so much depends.
                                                  --South.
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   {Critical angle} (Optics), that angle of incidence of a
      luminous ray at which it is wholly reflected, and no
      portion of it transmitted. The sine of this angle is the
      reciprocal of the refractive index of the medium.

   {Critical philosophy}, the metaphysical system of Kant; -- so
      called from his most important work, the "Critique of Pure
      Reason."
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