The High Enlightenment II
Jurian Traas
FW-HIS1020
2021-2022
,Week I - Lecture I 3
Kant’s philosophy 3
Kant’s idealism 4
Week I - Lecture II 4
Categories 5
Transcendental deduction of the categories 6
Unity of consciousness 7
Transcendental apperception 7
Week II - Lecture I 8
Kant’s analysis of metaphysics 9
Step 1 – Logical syllogisms 10
Categorical syllogism 10
Hypothetical syllogism 11
Disjunctive syllogism 11
Week II - Lecture II 12
Step 2 – Incorrectness of the three metaphysical ideas 12
Step 3 – Usefulness of the incorrect ideas 14
Week III - Lecture I 15
How is metaphysics as a science possible? 15
Kant’s philosophy as synthesis 16
Kant’s ethics 16
Week III - Lecture II 18
The universal law – first formulation 19
The universal law – second formulation 20
The universal law – third formulation 20
Implication of the moral laws 21
Week IV - Lecture I 21
Kant’s philosophy of war and peace 22
Preliminary articles – Stop war 22
Definitive articles – Establish peace 23
2
, Week I - Lecture I
Kant was a philosopher born in Konigsberg, who had little affection towards change, and had a regular
routine. His critique of pure reason was therefore a result of years of undisturbed thinking.
The prolegomena to any future metaphysics that will be able to come forward as science
In the prolegomena, the question of ‘what is physics’ is being discussed, and offers a popularized,
easier version of his critique of pure reason.
In the works of Aristotle, metaphysics means ‘that what comes after physics’. Although this tells us
little about metaphysics, we do know that it can be ontology, which is the science of ‘being’ in general.
Metaphysics can also be regarded as a discipline that deals with transcendent truths: truths about
immaterial matter that goes beyond sensory experiences. Despite the precise explanation, Kant
contrasts metaphysics with physics.
While physics in the preceding century had made progress, thanks to discoveries of physicians as
Newton, Kant observes that metaphysics has remained stagnant. The only way for metaphysics to
progress is to build a basis on which it can rest, and thus firstly inquire into the nature of human
understanding itself. Consequently, one must concentrate on the world that we are trying to understand
with this understanding. The prolegomena, and his critique of pure reason are firstly works of
epistemology, meaning that they contain basic questions about knowledge.
Kant’s philosophy
Propositions
Propositions are declarative sentences that are either true or false. These can be a priori, or a posteriori.
The truth of a posteriori propositions is based on sensory perception. This truth or falsity thus comes
after we have used our senses: this cat is black. A priori propositions are not based on sensory
experiences, and are thus formulated before we use our senses: all triangles have three sides.
Another distinction made is between analytic and synthetic propositions. Analytic propositions do not
provide new information, because the predicate expresses something that is already present in the
subject: all triangles have three sides. These are true under every possible interpretation, and thus the
truth of analytic propositions does not teach us anything new about the world. On the other hand,
propositions that increase our knowledge can be called synthetic propositions.
Kant’s attempt to save metaphysics is in many ways an answer to the damage David Hume has
brought upon the subject with his attack on metaphysics. Hume wakened Kant by proposing two
oppositions:
1. Hume’s relation of ideas allows us to formulate what Kant would describe as analytic
propositions a priori.
2. Hume’s matters of fact allow us to formulate what Kant would define as synthetic propositions
a posteriori.
Kant’s first step to solve this problem is to show that two synthetic propositions a priori are possible,
contrary to what Hume had claimed, and hence, synthetic knowledge a priori is possible:
- Mathematical propositions are not only a priori, but also synthetic
3
Jurian Traas
FW-HIS1020
2021-2022
,Week I - Lecture I 3
Kant’s philosophy 3
Kant’s idealism 4
Week I - Lecture II 4
Categories 5
Transcendental deduction of the categories 6
Unity of consciousness 7
Transcendental apperception 7
Week II - Lecture I 8
Kant’s analysis of metaphysics 9
Step 1 – Logical syllogisms 10
Categorical syllogism 10
Hypothetical syllogism 11
Disjunctive syllogism 11
Week II - Lecture II 12
Step 2 – Incorrectness of the three metaphysical ideas 12
Step 3 – Usefulness of the incorrect ideas 14
Week III - Lecture I 15
How is metaphysics as a science possible? 15
Kant’s philosophy as synthesis 16
Kant’s ethics 16
Week III - Lecture II 18
The universal law – first formulation 19
The universal law – second formulation 20
The universal law – third formulation 20
Implication of the moral laws 21
Week IV - Lecture I 21
Kant’s philosophy of war and peace 22
Preliminary articles – Stop war 22
Definitive articles – Establish peace 23
2
, Week I - Lecture I
Kant was a philosopher born in Konigsberg, who had little affection towards change, and had a regular
routine. His critique of pure reason was therefore a result of years of undisturbed thinking.
The prolegomena to any future metaphysics that will be able to come forward as science
In the prolegomena, the question of ‘what is physics’ is being discussed, and offers a popularized,
easier version of his critique of pure reason.
In the works of Aristotle, metaphysics means ‘that what comes after physics’. Although this tells us
little about metaphysics, we do know that it can be ontology, which is the science of ‘being’ in general.
Metaphysics can also be regarded as a discipline that deals with transcendent truths: truths about
immaterial matter that goes beyond sensory experiences. Despite the precise explanation, Kant
contrasts metaphysics with physics.
While physics in the preceding century had made progress, thanks to discoveries of physicians as
Newton, Kant observes that metaphysics has remained stagnant. The only way for metaphysics to
progress is to build a basis on which it can rest, and thus firstly inquire into the nature of human
understanding itself. Consequently, one must concentrate on the world that we are trying to understand
with this understanding. The prolegomena, and his critique of pure reason are firstly works of
epistemology, meaning that they contain basic questions about knowledge.
Kant’s philosophy
Propositions
Propositions are declarative sentences that are either true or false. These can be a priori, or a posteriori.
The truth of a posteriori propositions is based on sensory perception. This truth or falsity thus comes
after we have used our senses: this cat is black. A priori propositions are not based on sensory
experiences, and are thus formulated before we use our senses: all triangles have three sides.
Another distinction made is between analytic and synthetic propositions. Analytic propositions do not
provide new information, because the predicate expresses something that is already present in the
subject: all triangles have three sides. These are true under every possible interpretation, and thus the
truth of analytic propositions does not teach us anything new about the world. On the other hand,
propositions that increase our knowledge can be called synthetic propositions.
Kant’s attempt to save metaphysics is in many ways an answer to the damage David Hume has
brought upon the subject with his attack on metaphysics. Hume wakened Kant by proposing two
oppositions:
1. Hume’s relation of ideas allows us to formulate what Kant would describe as analytic
propositions a priori.
2. Hume’s matters of fact allow us to formulate what Kant would define as synthetic propositions
a posteriori.
Kant’s first step to solve this problem is to show that two synthetic propositions a priori are possible,
contrary to what Hume had claimed, and hence, synthetic knowledge a priori is possible:
- Mathematical propositions are not only a priori, but also synthetic
3
