Chapter 1 Kant And Modernity Flashcards
What event do his reflections on freedom have to do with?
probably - the French Revolution
What influence did Hume have on Kant
He awakened Kant from his dogmatic slumber and faith in inbuilt cosmic order;
How does Hume make unity an issue?
Prev philosophy and theology had assumed underlying order to natural phenomena but now sense of unity disintegrating as nature separated. Kant tries to establish new forms of unity.
What is Transcendental Idealism?
Kant thinks his TI is actually a kind of realism it is giving basis of objectivity in terms of subjectivity. The objective necessities of the laws of nature depend on subjective conditions of possibilities of knowledge . These conditions are what means by transcendental.
What is one of the most contentious things in philosophy?
What is on the subject side and what is on the object side of knowledge. If all software in brain then subjective side can be explained causally. But intentionality = fact that thinking is about things suggests that what apprehends objects cannot be object in same way. Crucial for Kant.
What is Kant dictum about TI
Thoughts without content are empty but intutions without concepts are blind.
What did K call the general rules for apprehending objects?
Categories - oneness, manyness - synthetic judgements a priori.
How does the mind create knowledge?
It uses spontaneous judgement (not itself causal) to bring together the passively received material of cognition to the actively applied categories. In the case of causality judgement actively synthesis bits of perceptual info into a relationship of necessity not just one thing after another. Judgements require us to talk a stance on whether something is the case or not.
What is Synthetic Unity of Apperception?
Apperception is ability to reflect on ones judgements. the whole thing is continuity over time. Unity of self for knowledge becomes important and self can be inflated into light that makes universe intelligible. Important in subsequent German Philosophy.
What is relation of subject to modernity?
Modernity grants subject ability to dominate. In turn subject may seek disasterouly to overcome subject’s dependence on nature. Because man has freedom.
What are Things in Themselves?
It is to contrast with world of appearances. The noumen not the phenomenon. Everything in phenomenal world subject to deterministic laws. Not so when we resist urge to do something - freedom. Implausible side is Kant thinks this doesn’t take place in time and space; plausible is that societies do hold people morally responsible.
Why might focus on scientific laws viz nature cause unease?
A sense that these don’t reveal all; there is a side to nature eg as a resource for spiritual renewal that does not depend on knowledge of causal laws. A sense that neither freedom nor nature in itself are part of word of appearances.
What are the tasks of reason, understanding and ideas?
Reason establishes principles that make thoughts coherent
Discovering more laws of nature doesn’t tell us how those relate to each other.
Ideas are regulative - in order to see relation we need ‘idea’ that things law bound and constitute an overall system.
Ideas are constitutive since we need them but not constitutive since that would be dogmatic.
What does the second critique do?
After the first critique demolishes existing philosophical proofs of god the second critique attempts to give a basis for morals beyond divine authority.
On what does Kant base morality?
The categorical imperative. Only good will (outside laws of nature) is good without qualification. Good in world can in other ciorcumsatnces be bad. Good will doesnt direct, it has no content. We need imperatives.
