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- (Preface) Consider the following two descriptions of “metaphysics”:
(a) metaphysics concerns our pure a priori knowledge of the world of
experience -- that is, what we know about the objects of
experience, but not based on experience; (b) metaphysics
concerns causes and principles of the world of experience which are
themselves outside the realm of experience. Why does it seem that the
outcome of this book will be positive with respect to (a), telling us
what we can hope to know about metaphysics in that sense and how we
can expect to know it, but completely negative with respect to (b),
telling us simply that we have no hope of such knowledge? Why,
according to Kant, do we nevertheless also obtain an important
positive outcome from the discussion of (b), as well?
- (Introduction) Using Kant's example, “All bodies are extended,”
explain in two ways what it means to say that it is an analytic
judgment: first way, by thinking of judgments, in general, as the
application of predicates to subjects (so that the form of every
judgment is something like “S is P”); second way, by thinking of
judgments in general as knowledge on a condition (so that the form of
every judgment is something like “Rule R holds on condition
C.”). Explain, in the same two ways, why “All bodies are heavy,''
according to Kant, is synthetic. How is a “third thing” involved in
making such a judgment, and what is the third thing in this case? Why,
then, is it surprising that some synthetic judgments (according to
Kant) are also a priori?
- (Aesthetic) Explain Kant's distinction
between (human) “intuitions” and ``concepts'' (just in general: you
needn't discuss in detail the special case of pure
intuition). Address the fact that intuitions are singular, immediate,
passive representations and concepts general, mediate, active ones --
how are those characteristics related to one another? Why, according
to Kant, must knowledge of an empirical object involve both of these
two types of representation? What role is played by each? Within the
intuition, what is the role, specifically, of sensation? What
is it that “corresponds” to sensation?
- (Metaphysical Deduction) Using a simple empirical example (e.g., the
concept cinnabar, as discussed in class) explain how it must
represent its object if it is to be suitable as a subject for: (a) a
universal categorical judgment (e.g. “All cinnabar is red”); (b) a
particular categorical judgment (e.g. “Some cinnabar is shiny”);
(c) a singular categorical judgment (e.g. “This cinnabar weights 5
grams”). Assuming every empirical concept must have these
characteristics, why does this show that the three moments of quantity
(unity, plurality, and totality) are categories?
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Up: Phil. 106exam1a, Autumn 13
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Abe Stone
2013-12-19