Chapter 9Chapter 9

Kant’s Transcendental Kant’s Transcendental IdealismIdealism

How did Hume influence Kant? What is How did Hume influence Kant? What is the distinction between the noumenal and the distinction between the noumenal and the phenomenal worlds? What are the the phenomenal worlds? What are the a a priori priori intuitions? What are the categories intuitions? What are the categories

of the understanding? What is a of the understanding? What is a hypothetical imperative? What is the hypothetical imperative? What is the Categorical Imperative? What is the Categorical Imperative? What is the

difference between beauty and sublimity?difference between beauty and sublimity?

KANTKANTInterrupted in his dogmatic Interrupted in his dogmatic

slumber!slumber!

Hume’s ChallengeHume’s Challenge

If Hume is right, and we cannot know that If Hume is right, and we cannot know that the future will resemble the pastthe future will resemble the past, is , is

science even possiblescience even possible??

Hume’s ChallengeHume’s Challenge

If Hume is right, and we cannot know that If Hume is right, and we cannot know that the future will resemble the pastthe future will resemble the past, is , is

science even possiblescience even possible??

Hume’s ChallengeHume’s Challenge

If Hume is right, and we cannot know that If Hume is right, and we cannot know that the future will resemble the pastthe future will resemble the past, is , is

science even possiblescience even possible??

Were you getting concerned that all the Were you getting concerned that all the slides from this chapter would be on slides from this chapter would be on

“Hume’s Challenge”? “Hume’s Challenge”?

Why not? Why not?

Do you have any justification for your Do you have any justification for your confidence hereconfidence here??

KANTKANT

Is this a picture of Is this a picture of Kant?Kant?

How do you know?How do you know?

Why do you Why do you believe as you do?believe as you do?

Striving towards the AbsoluteStriving towards the Absolute

If we can never understand the Absolute, If we can never understand the Absolute, why should we bother to try? why should we bother to try?

Have you ever tried to achieve something Have you ever tried to achieve something that was unattainable? Why?that was unattainable? Why?

Did you benefit from your striving despite Did you benefit from your striving despite your failure to achieve your goal?your failure to achieve your goal?

Cause and EffectCause and Effect

If we can’t observe cause and effect If we can’t observe cause and effect relationships, does this mean that the idea relationships, does this mean that the idea

of causation is nonsense?of causation is nonsense?

If you think it isn’t, If you think it isn’t, WHYWHY??

Where could it come from, if not from Where could it come from, if not from observation?observation?

The Critique of Pure ReasonThe Critique of Pure Reason

“…“…though all our though all our knowledge begins knowledge begins with experience, it with experience, it

does not follow that it does not follow that it all arises out of all arises out of

experience.”experience.”

--Kant--Kant

What does Kant mean What does Kant mean by this?by this?

What is it like to be a bat?What is it like to be a bat?

Have you any idea what it is like to be a bat, Have you any idea what it is like to be a bat, navigating your way around the world by navigating your way around the world by

echolocation? echolocation?

How does How does youryour experience of the world experience of the world differ from that of a bat?differ from that of a bat?

Can you know the world independently of Can you know the world independently of experience?experience?

If not, is the world you perceive identical to If not, is the world you perceive identical to the world as it is independently of your the world as it is independently of your

perceptions—or does your experience of it perceptions—or does your experience of it affect how you perceive it?affect how you perceive it?

If a bat’s perception of the world is different If a bat’s perception of the world is different from yours, is it wrong? from yours, is it wrong?

Or is Or is youryour perception wrong because it is perception wrong because it is different from that of a bat?different from that of a bat?

ColorColorDoes blue exist in the world?Does blue exist in the world?

Space and TimeSpace and Time

Can you imagine living in a world that is not Can you imagine living in a world that is not bound by the constraints of space and bound by the constraints of space and

time? time?

Can you imagine an Can you imagine an object existing outside object existing outside of a spatial location? of a spatial location?

Can you imagine your Can you imagine your thoughts existing thoughts existing

without a temporal without a temporal order?order?

Do you perceive space and time with your Do you perceive space and time with your senses? senses?

If your ideas of space and time do not come If your ideas of space and time do not come from your senses, where must they from your senses, where must they

originate from?originate from?

Who do you think is right?Who do you think is right?

HumeHume

Pure sciences are not Pure sciences are not possible, as all ideas possible, as all ideas

must be traced back to must be traced back to sensory experiencessensory experiences

KantKant

Pure sciences are Pure sciences are possible, because we possible, because we

have inborn intuitions of have inborn intuitions of time and spacetime and space

Rejecting Hume’s SkepticismRejecting Hume’s Skepticism

Does science exist?Does science exist?

If so, what should this tell us about Humean If so, what should this tell us about Humean skepticism?skepticism?

Categories of the UnderstandingCategories of the Understanding

If something really exists for us, must it exist If something really exists for us, must it exist independently of us? independently of us?

In what way is the mind like a computer In what way is the mind like a computer program, for Kant?program, for Kant?

Do you agree with Kant’s view?Do you agree with Kant’s view?

The Constitution of Phenomenal The Constitution of Phenomenal RealityReality

Is Kant’s view useful? Is it Is Kant’s view useful? Is it rightright??

Kantian SynthesisKantian Synthesis

Rationalism—there Rationalism—there are certain innate are certain innate

structures of the mind structures of the mind that ground our that ground our

knowledgeknowledge

Empiricism—we need Empiricism—we need sensory input for sensory input for

these structures to these structures to functionfunction

Do you think we can ever know the world as Do you think we can ever know the world as it exists independently of our experiences? it exists independently of our experiences?

Would Kant agree with you?Would Kant agree with you?

What does the human mind aspire What does the human mind aspire towards?towards?

Transcendental IdeasTranscendental Ideas

Do you have any transcendental ideas? Do you have any transcendental ideas?

What are they of?What are they of?

Are they useful for anything, or should you Are they useful for anything, or should you try to rid yourself of them?try to rid yourself of them?

MoralityMorality

Do you think that what is moral is Do you think that what is moral is independent of what people say or think?independent of what people say or think?

If you find a wallet with the owner’s ID in it, If you find a wallet with the owner’s ID in it, should you return it to her? should you return it to her?

If a person strived to do the right thing, but If a person strived to do the right thing, but failed, would you consider her to be failed, would you consider her to be

immoral?immoral?

Would you praise someone who did good by Would you praise someone who did good by accident?accident?

WHY?WHY?

How are moral actions different from non-How are moral actions different from non-moral actions?moral actions?

What crucially matters in distinguishing What crucially matters in distinguishing them? them?

Critique of JudgmentCritique of JudgmentHow are aesthetic judgments How are aesthetic judgments

possible?possible?

BeautyBeauty

How can you sincerely claim that How can you sincerely claim that something is a beautiful painting while at something is a beautiful painting while at the same time acknowledging that others the same time acknowledging that others might legitimately hold your claim to be might legitimately hold your claim to be

false?false?

Is there anything which every human finds Is there anything which every human finds beautiful?beautiful?

Is beauty in the world?Is beauty in the world?

What about sublimity?What about sublimity?

Kant’s Wondrous DistressKant’s Wondrous Distress

Have you ever looked at the night sky, and Have you ever looked at the night sky, and been awed by what you see?been awed by what you see?

Have you ever experienced the same awe at Have you ever experienced the same awe at the moral law within you?the moral law within you?

If not—yet!—can you appreciate why Kant If not—yet!—can you appreciate why Kant did?did?