The Critical Philosophy of Immanuel Kant Essay -- Kant Philosophical E

The Critical philosophical system of Immanuel Kant Criticism is Kants original achievement it identifies him as one of the greatest thinkers of mankind and as one of the close influential authors in contemporary philosophy. But it is important to understand what Kant means bycriticism, or critique. In a world(a) sense the term refers to a general cultivation of reason by way of the secure path of science (Bxxx). More particularly, its design is not negative, but positive, a fact that finds expression in the famous expression, I be in possession of therefore found it necessary to deny knowledge to make room for faith (Bxxx). Correspondingly, its negative use consists in not allowing ones self to venture with speculative reason beyond the limits of experience (Bxxiv). Thus, criticism removes the decisive hindrance that threatens to supplant or even destroy the absolutely necessary practical employment of pure reason..in which it pure reason inevitably goes beyond the limits of sen sibility (Bxxv). Accordingly, the critique guarantees a secure path for science by confining speculative reason and by giving practical reason the complete use of its rights rights that thus far had not been recognised. Place in the History of Ideas Kant, being confronted with the two extremes of rationalism and empiricism, set for himself the task of creating a synthesis of the two. As he saw it, rationalism operates in the sphere of innate ideas, with their analytical and therefore aprioristic ideas this necessity, however, is not based on experience and consequently does not apply to human beings itself. On the other hand empiricism starts completely from experience and thus (it seems) from reality, but it arrives only at a posteriori and therefore synthetic... ... conceal, as it must do for Kant. Again the formal objects of the souls faculties in Aquinas corresponds to Kants forms thus knowledge through categories is not restricted to that which is for Man but opens up to that which is in itself. Finally, the absoluteness of Kants moral imperative alike receives its foundation in being, and thus theory and practice are brought into harmony. Bibliography Balterson, D. The Philosophy of Immanuel Kant Toronto, 1984 Jewson, M. Kant and the Critique of Pure Reason Rome, 1986 Kant, I. Critique of Pure Reason N.K. Smith tr London, 1929 McConnor, T. The Philosophy of the Enlightenment London, 1989 Tonderson, P. Immanuel Kant The Critique of Of Pure Reason New York, 1987 Wallis, H. The Thought of Immanuel Kant New York, 1955 O Neill, P., SJ, Kant and Aquinas A Comparative Study, Rome, 1967