Critique of Pure Reason 6 - On the Matter of Matter

We imbibed so much more ideas than we could digest that my brain is suffering from indigestion. David and I are in a disagreement about the significance of matter in the form-matter dichotomy Kant refers to in his general remarks concerning the Transcendental Aesthetic. I see it as directly relevant to his concept of the noumena. Others were not persuaded. I will try to make my case more clear with supporting references and post that when I when I get the chance.

WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO NEXT TIME

We discussed the Elucidation of Transcendental Aesthetics A and left off at Paragraph A44 of the General Remarks to Transcendental Aesthetics A. Because space and time are so fundamental to Kant's Transcendental Aesthetic, I think it's important that we keep going through those General Remarks, so next time, we will pick up where we left off, at Paragraph A45. Please get caught up on the following before the next meeting.

In Transcendental Aestheic A (A45 - A49)
General Remarks (starting at A45)

In Transcendental Aesthetic B (B34 - B58)
§§1 through 7

If you are using the Guyer translation, the reading covers pp 169 thru 184

COMING UP

0720/25 - Session 6, Finish Transcendental Aesthetic A, Start B
08/03/25 - Session 7, Finish Transcendental Aesthetic B
08/17/25 - Session 8, Start Transcendental Logic

WHAT WE COVERED LAST TIME

Elucidation of Time

• Appearances are real. They are real effects.
• -Can I be conscious, that is, inwardly aware, without a sense of time?
• Some of Kant's critics acknowledge the subjectivity of space given the real phenomenon of optical illusion, but won't budge on time.
• Whether space and time are real objects independent of perception or derived from perception, we tend to rely on our perceptions.
• -If space and time are learned from experience, then mathematics is not an a priori science.
• Is this argument about space and time analytic or synthetic?

Conclusion to the Transcendental Aesthetic

• Our senses provide us with data, our intuitions mold that data into something we can cognitively work with.
• The term "cognition" refers to thinking, knowing, recognizing, being aware of. These are all interrelated terms. Cogito ergo sum. . .
• Doctrine of Transcendent Idealism: Space and time are forms of sensibility and not objects in themselves.

NOTES/RESOURCES

1. Critique of Judgment Blog
https://www.meetup.com/the-toronto-philosophy-meetup/events/308213224/?slug=the-toronto-philosophy-meetup&eventId=308213224

2. COJ #1.5 - There's practical and then there's practical

https://open.substack.com/pub/geraldpriddle/p/15-kants-critique-of-judgment?r=2rot22&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true

3. Essay, Groundwork for a Metaphysics of Morals

https://open.substack.com/pub/geraldpriddle/p/1-kants-groundwork-to-a-metaphysics?r=2rot22&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true

4. SEP article on Christian Wolff. Kant was heavily influenced by Christian Wolff. Below is an article from the Stanford encyclopedia philosophy that describes his philosophical views. In particular, I encourage you to check out Sectin 3 that describes his view of science. We can see where Kant got his ideas from.
https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/wolff-christian/

5. ***Hot off the press!*** An analysis of time as explicated in the Transcendental Analytic.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/15R3KF1abLKgeiYYJfv00AC2yPMOsU1kr/view?usp=sharing