The Philosophy Of Immanuel Kant

Summary

This video script delves into Immanuel Kant's Transcendental Idealism, emphasizing the unknowability of the external world and the mind's role in shaping our reality. It outlines Kant's distinction between a priori and a posteriori knowledge, and introduces phenomena and noumena as the basis of our sensory perceptions. The script encourages viewers to explore Kant's philosophy further, suggesting readings by Wallace, Schopenhauer, and Durant for a deeper understanding of his complex ideas.

Takeaways

• 📚 The 19th century is often associated with Immanuel Kant's influential philosophy, particularly his Transcendental Idealism.
• 🤔 Kant's complex philosophy suggests that the external world is unknowable, and what we perceive as reality is an interpretation by our minds.
• 📈 Kant distinguishes between a priori knowledge, which is independent of experience, and a posteriori knowledge, which is derived from sensory experience.
• 🔢 An example of a priori knowledge is the mathematical truth that 2 + 2 equals 4, a fact that holds regardless of any sensory input.
• 🐕 An example of a posteriori knowledge is the statement 'My dog is black,' which requires sensory confirmation and can change with new evidence.
• 🍊 Kant uses the example of an orange to illustrate phenomena, the sensory experiences that shape our understanding of objects, versus noumena, the objects as they exist independently of our perception.
• 🚫 Kant warns against speculation about noumena, stating that such metaphysical inquiry is like navigating a dark ocean without guidance.
• 🧠 He advocates for self-examination of our mental faculties to better understand our perceptions and the nature of reality.
• 🎭 Kant's transcendental philosophy focuses on our a priori concepts of objects rather than the objects themselves, influencing later philosophers like Schopenhauer and Nietzsche.
• 📖 For further study, Will Durant recommends starting with Wallace's 'Kant' and Schopenhauer's 'The World as Will and Idea' for a critique of Kant's work.
• 🔗 The video script suggests additional resources for understanding Kant's philosophy, including Durant's 'The Story of Philosophy,' with links provided in the video description.

Q & A

Who is considered to have had the most influence on the 19th-century philosophy?

Immanuel Kant is considered to have had the most influence on the 19th-century philosophy.

What did Will Durant say about Kant's philosophy?

Will Durant said that Kant labored to rescue mind from matter, argued against the uses of 'pure reason,' and brought back the beliefs of the ancient faith through his complex thought.

What is the focus of the video script on Immanuel Kant's philosophy?

The video script focuses on aspects of Kant's Transcendental Idealism, particularly his claim that the external world is unknowable and that our reality is an interpretation from our minds.

What are the two distinctions of knowledge according to Kant?

The two distinctions of knowledge according to Kant are a priori knowledge, which can be known without experience or data from the senses, and a posteriori knowledge, which is gained through sensory experience.

What is an example of a priori knowledge?

An example of a priori knowledge is the understanding that 2 + 2 will always equal 4, as this is a mathematical truth that does not require sensory experience to be known.

What does Kant mean by 'phenomena'?

By 'phenomena,' Kant refers to the realities or appearances that are interpreted from our minds, which are the only aspects of the world that we can know.

What is the definition of 'noumena' according to Kant?

Noumena, according to Kant, are things that exist regardless of our minds' interpretations, and they are unknowable because we can only know the world as it is presented to us through our senses.

How does Kant describe our interaction with an orange in terms of phenomena?

Kant describes our interaction with an orange as a combination of sensations such as touch, temperature, smell, sight, and taste, which together create the 'thing' we call an orange, all of which are phenomena.

What does Kant suggest we should do instead of speculating about noumena?

Instead of speculating about noumena, Kant suggests that we should examine our own mental abilities and how they relate to what we perceive in our own personal reality.

What does Kant call his effort to answer problems that transcend sense-experience?

Kant calls his effort to answer problems that transcend sense-experience 'transcendental philosophy.'

What are some recommended readings to learn more about Immanuel Kant according to the video script?

The video script recommends starting with Wallace's 'Kant,' Schopenhauer's 'The World as Will and Idea,' and reading the section on Kant in Will Durant's 'The Story of Philosophy.'