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The constructive role of the self in I.Kant's theory of knowledge

2007
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Advisor: Y.doç.dr. Hüseyin Aykut

Abstract (EN)

In Transcendental Philosophy of his, Kant discusses the self?s conditions of knowing of the object rather than the known object because according to Kant object is a design that constituted by the faculties of the self. Self is the being that constitutes both object and the knowledge of object by means of these faculties. Therefore, putting aside the assumption that entails that knowledge suits to object, Kant points out that object is subjected to the self?s conditions of knowing the object. Kant tries to verify this hypothesis which he called Copernican Revolution in the Critique of Pure Reason. In Kant?s theory of knowledge self is the being that possesses the faculties of Sensibility, Imagination, and Thinking. Self is the being that constitutes first the object and next the knowledge of the object via these faculties. Sensibility is the faculty that acquires the correspondent-in-intuition of the object that is the subject of the experience by means of it?s a priori forms namely space and time. As space and time are the a priori forms of the self object primarily constituted through these forms. Accordingly, the actuality of the object which is independent of space and time is always an unknown to us. Envisions which are acquired through sensibility are made graspable by the synthesis act of imagination. Synthesis itself is another act of envisioning because it gives unity to parts that are not in unity in themselves. These synthesized envisions become thinkable by bringing them under the categories which are the pure a priori concepts of understanding. As thinking is the act of synthesizing the given in intuition without seeing it is again an act of envisioning or constructing. Thus, object by means of sensibility is constituted as an envisioning of the self through gaining form by the a priori forms of the self; becomes graspable by means of the synthesizing act of imagination and is thought by the act of thinking. Objects embodied and constituted by understanding can make experience possible and provides the knowledge of the nature only by entering into a relation with each other in a unity that can be realized only by the constitution of the reason. In Kant?s theory of knowledge, with these faculties self constitutes first the phenomenal world and then the knowledge corresponding to this world. During Self?s act of bringing the manifold of intuition under categories apperception takes place. Apperception is the awareness of being the self that perceives the object and in fact object is constituted at this point and becomes an object for the self. At this point, self both constitutes the knowledge and becomes aware that the knowledge is constituted by ?self?. Consequently, object is constituted through the following acts of the self respectively; · when it becomes a sensible intuition by means of the a priori forms of sensibility namely space and time, · during the synthesis act of imagination, · in judgment by means of the act of understanding, and · when self becomes aware of that all these are done by itself and · object is constituted when it is given a unity by the act of reason on judgments and becomes an object for the self.

Author

Dr. Ebru Pehlivan Karataş

How to Cite

Ebru Pehlivan Karataş (Master Thesis). The constructive role of the self in I.Kant's theory of knowledge, 2007, Sakarya University.

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