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It is anti-rational to try to establish a premise for reasoning by arbitrary assertion. In other words, an evidence-free reason is no reason at all.
Simply stating a position in order to propel a line of thought is just empty talk, to be dismissed without further consideration.
If you study this a little deeper, you will discover that it is improper to cast Kant in the role of being a champion of reason.
On the contrary, Kant made no secret of his motive for writing those books. His aim was to make a metaphysical domain for religion.
His method was to drive a wedge between the natural world and the human mind.
In the Preface to the Second Edition of the "Critique of Pure Reason", he says "I must, therefore, abolish knowledge, to make room for belief."
To understand Kant's main gimmick, see "Introduction to Objectivist Epistemology" by Ayn Rand.
Glorification of the stupid is nihilistic. Nature, to be commanded, must be obeyed. So reason is required to produce the values on which human life depends.
In "The Roots of Nazi Psychology: Hitler's Utopian Barbarism", Jay Gonen described the typical Nazi mentality as being a contradictory mix of brutality and intellect. He analyzed these "brilliant morons" in Freudian terms, but according to Leonard Peikoff, in his book "The Ominous Parallels", the roots of Nazi stupidity glorification are actually to be found in the philosophy of Kant who famously attacked reason.
Books that sharpened my thinking: "An Introduction to Logic" by H.W.B. Joseph, everything written by Ayn Rand, "On the Several Senses of Being in Aristotle" by Franz Brentano, and the works of Aristotle.
A few great biographies: "The Man Behind The Microchip" by Leslie Berlin, "iWoz: Computer Geek to Cult Icon: How I Invented the Personal Computer, Co-Founded Apple, and Had Fun Doing It" by Steve Wozniak and Gina Smith, and "Just One More Thing" by Peter Falk.
My favorite science fiction story is "The Tactics of Mistake" by Gordon R. Dickson.
Other books that influence how I build software:
"The Biological Basis of Teleological Concepts" by Harry Binswanger, "The Fountainhead" by Ayn Rand, "The Autobiography of an Idea" by Louis H. Sullivan, "Reason and Analysis" by Brand Blanshard
"Introduction to Objectivist Epistemology" by Ayn Rand