Seminar 10 Kant On The Resolution of The Antinomies

Kant on the Resolution of
the Antinomy (PH 3261)

Dr. Qu Hsueh Ming (phiqhm@nus.edu.sg)
Road Map for the General Solution to the
Antinomies
• Section 5: ‘Skeptical representation’ of the conflicts of the
antinomies.
• Section 6: Distinguish transcendental idealism from empirical
idealism; discusses existence.
• Section 7: Sketches the general form of the resolution.
• Section 8: Explains the principles of Kant’s resolution.
Section 5: Starting to Solve the Problem
• Cosmological Idea of the World-Whole either too big or too small.
• First three antinomies:
• Thesis is too small (limited world whole)
• Antithesis too big (infinite regress)
• Fourth antinomy:
• Thesis too big (absolutely necessary being)
• Antithesis too small (insufficient grounding for what exists)
• Both thesis and antithesis are non-sensical.
• Examine a common presupposition that both make, and question it.
• Common presupposition = idea of the world-whole.
Section 6: Existence
• Kant’s point: what is it for something to exist? In what sense is it
impossible for the unconditioned condition to not exist?
• For something to exist is for it to be given in intuition, or related to an
intuition according to the laws of nature.
• The unconditioned condition cannot exist because it cannot even exist in the
progress of possible experience.
Section 7: General Solution
• Antinomies can be represented as a syllogism:
• 1) If the conditioned is given, then the whole series of all conditions for it is
also given;
• 2) Objects of the senses are given as conditioned;
• 3) Therefore, the whole series of conditions for objects of the senses are
given (as either finite or infinite).
General form of the solution
• Point is that the thesis and antithesis are not exhaustive: there is
another option.
• Kant’s example: everyone smells good, everyone smells not good.
General form of the solution
• Point is that the thesis and antithesis are not exhaustive: there is
another option.
• Kant’s example: everyone smells good, everyone smells not good.
Better example
• (1) All dogs are not cute, vs. (2) All dogs are cute
Better example
• (1) The dog is not cute, vs. (2) The dog is cute
•
Better example
• (1) The dog is not cute, vs. (2) The dog is cute
Antinomies proving TI
• If the world was a thing-in-itself, the set of conditions for it (the
world-whole) would be either finite or infinite.
• Since the set of conditions for it is neither, the world cannot be a
thing-in-itself.
• Thus, the world must be an appearance.
Section 8: Regulative and Constitutive
• Reason’s idea of the unconditioned is only regulative rather than
constitutive.
• Antinomies err in going from the rule of always looking for a further
condition, to asserting that there is a totality of conditions (the world-
whole).
Freedom and Determinism (Specific
Solution)
• The issue of the world-whole is an illegitimate question. But the issue
of freedom can still be raised independently of it.
• Transcendental realism leaves no room for rescuing transcendental
freedom.
Solving the Issue of
Freedom and Determinism
Two perspectives
• A subject can be considered with respect to:
• Empirical character
• Intelligible character.
Empirical Character
• Wholly determined.
• Power of choice of empirical character: capacity to choose (subject to
determinism) between possible actions.
• Animals’ power of choice are sensibly necessited.
• Humans’ power of choice are sensibly affected, but not necessitated.
Intelligible character
• Beyond time, and thus beyond causality.
• Intelligible character determined by intellectual laws.
Freedom
• Freedom and determinism can thus be found in the same action,
depending on whether we view the subject according to empirical or
intelligible character.
• Us humans can be considered both as appearances and things-in-
themselves.
• Appearances: inner sense, empirical character
• Things-in-themselves: via TUA. Suggests something more than empirical, but
does not tell us anything about our intelligible character.
Transcendental Cause
• Ourselves, via pure reason.
• Pure Reason does not yield to any empirically given ground, and so is
independent of causal determination.
Reason
• Empirical Character = power of choice, purely physiological
• Practical reason = non-empirical faculty of reason as applied to action.
Pure Reason
• Purely intelligible, and beyond appearances.
• ‘In regard to the intelligible character, of which the empirical one is only the
sensible schema, no before or after applies, and every action, irrespective of
the temporal relation in which it stands to other appearances, is the
immediate effect of the intelligible character of pure reason…’ (A553/B581)
• Reason has its own interest and goals.
• Speculative goals (Theoretical Reason): to find an absolutely unconditioned
condition.
• Practical goals (Practical Reason): to find reasons that are absolutely
unconditional (categorical imperatives).
The Malicious Lie
• We can explain a malicious lie completely through empirical causes.
• Yet we still blame the agent!
• Hume: thus moral blame is not sensitive to transcendental freedom.
• Kant: thus we must view the agent as having transcendental freedom!
A Trilemma
• Our moral practices are generally true and meaningful
• For our moral practices to be generally true and meaningful, there
must be Transcendental Freedom
• There is no Transcendental Freedom.
Versions of the thesis and antithesis being
true
• Modified Thesis: In the intelligible ground of the existence of the
appearance there may be a ground of existence whose causality is
free (self-determining).
• Modified Antithesis: within the series of appearances we should
never stop in the search for a further cause.

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