KANT'S CRITIQUE OF TELEOLOGY IN BIOLOGICAL EXPLANATION

More documents

Recommendations

Info

82 The Unconditioned and the Infinite Series The understanding is essentially a capacity to make connections; it advances one step after the next connecting them up in a series. It is only through the understanding that empirical knowledge is possible. Reason on the other hand strives for the whole. Whereas the understanding seeks the condition for every conditioned in order to connect the one with the other, reason views the condition as being already given with the conditioned — just as the validity of an inference presupposes "totality in the series of the premisses" (B388). "If, therefore, knowledge be viewed as conditioned, reason is constrained to regard the series of conditions in the ascending line as completed and as given in their totality" (B388). The totality of the series of conditions is "a requirement of reason" (B389) which the understanding cannot always fulfill, because it can only connect one element after the other. In general the understanding is constantly challenged by reason to advance ever further; but in certain cases, determined by the categories, the understanding is in principle overtaxed, that is, reason demands a performance that the understanding cannot deliver. Reason, however, cannot create its own concepts; it can only take over concepts of the understanding and then liberate them from their restriction to possible experience (B435). The ideas of reason are thus liberated concepts of the understanding. The cosmological antinomies arise when, with respect to the world as totality of appearances, one of these concepts of the understanding liberated by reason is taken up again and used by the understanding. They arise when it is assumed that the entire series of conditions is given in the sense of being able to be experienced by the understanding, that is when the world as aggregate appearance is taken to constitute such a given totality. As Kant puts it: The whole antinomy of pure reason rests upon the dialectical argument: If the conditioned is given, the entire series of all its conditions is likewise given; objects of the senses are given as conditioned; therefore, etc. (B525) Under these presuppositions the series of conditions is either finite, in which case the last member of the series (the first condition) itself has no conditions and thus is unconditioned, or the series of conditions is infinite, in which case the series itself as a whole is something unconditioned. In accord with the four classes of categories (quantity, quality, relation, modality) there are four cosmological ideas of the completion of a series, each of which leads to an antinomy. These ideas pertain to the "absolute completeness" of the
Course of the Argument 83 series 1) of Composition (of the world in space and time), 2) of Division (of a body), 3) of Origination (of an action), and 4) of Dependence of Existence (of things in the world). The first two ideas are called "mathematical," the third and fourth are called "dynamical." The thesis of each antinomy maintains that the series of conditions is finite, i.e. that the series ends with an unconditioned. The antithesis always asserts that the series is infinite, that is, that it itself is an unconditioned. It should be noted that we are always dealing with a series that goes from the conditioned to its condition; this kind of series is called by Kant a regress (B437-8, B538). The reverse series (from the condition to what it conditions) is called a progress; but this kind of series causes no particular philosophical difficulties. The difference between regress and progress can be seen if we take up once again Kant's comparison with logic: we must presuppose all premises of an inference as given in order to draw a conclusion, but we need not presuppose all further consequences that can possibly be derived from these premises. But if the same knowledge is viewed as a condition of yet other knowl edge, and this knowledge as constituting a series of consequences in a descending line, reason can be quite indifferent as to how far this advance extends a parte posteriori, and whether a totality of the series is possible at all. For it does not need such a series in order to be able to draw its conclusions ... (B388-9) The Course of the Argument In the first section of the "Antinomy of Pure Reason" the cosmological ideas are introduced. In the second section the theses and antitheses are presented, each is given an apagogical proof, and some explication of each is provided. In the third section, "The Interest of Reason in these Conflicts" Kant reports that the thesis position, although it is speculatively second rate, nonetheless has the advantage of fitting better with morals and religion; furthermore, "the thesis also has the advantage of popularity; and this certainly forms no small part of its claim to favor" (B495). After pointing out that the antithesis (that is, Leibnizian rationalism under the title of "empiricism") is speculatively far superior but rather immodest, not popular and not very conducive to faith and morals, Kant returns to the thesis position adducing in its support "the
Page 1:
KANT’S CRITIQUE OF TELEOLOGY IN B
Page 5 and 6:
Contents Acknowledgments...........
Page 7 and 8:
Acknowledgements vii This book pres
Page 9:
To My Parents M.M.M. and P.O.M.
Page 12 and 13:
2 Introduction fact the rejection o
Page 14 and 15:
4 Introduction almost exclusively c
Page 16 and 17:
6 Introduction reductionism as the
Page 18 and 19:
8 Theory of the Organism will be se
Page 20 and 21:
10 Theory of the Organism when he f
Page 22 and 23:
12 Theory of the Organism that this
Page 24 and 25:
14 Theory of the Organism not in an
Page 26 and 27:
16 Theory of the Organism formation
Page 28 and 29:
18 Theory of the Organism common sp
Page 30 and 31:
20 Theory of the Organism cated to
Page 32 and 33:
22 Theory of the Organism by these
Page 34 and 35:
24 Kant's Reading of Biology of the
Page 36 and 37:
26 Kant's Reading of Biology for in
Page 38 and 39:
28 Kant's Reading of Biology monly
Page 40 and 41:
30 Kant's Reading of Biology not be
Page 42 and 43: 32 Kant's Reading of Biology to ada
Page 44 and 45: 34 Analytic of Teleological Judgmen
Page 64 and 65: 54 Antinomies of Reason tent is par
Page 66 and 67: 56 Antinomies of Reason antinomies
Page 68 and 69: 58 Antinomies of Reason shows that
Page 70 and 71: 60 Antinomies of Reason categories
Page 72 and 73: 62 Antinomies of Reason "only condi
Page 74 and 75: 64 Antinomies of Reason described;
Page 76 and 77: 66 Kant's Logic For the true opposi
Page 78 and 79: 68 Kant's Logic outside the sphere
Page 80 and 81: 70 Kant's Logic In contrast to Lamb
Page 82 and 83: 72 Kant's Logic predicate under con
Page 84 and 85: 74 Kant's Logic other. We can thus
Page 86 and 87: 76 Kant's Logic then both conflicti
Page 88 and 89: 78 Kant's Logic Both conflicting pr
Page 90 and 91: 80 The Unconditioned and the Infini
Page 108 and 109: 98 Antinomy of Division Antithesis
Page 110 and 111: 100 Antinomy of Division justificat
Page 112 and 113: 102 Antinomy of Division and thus p
Page 114 and 115: 104 Antinomy of Division why it is
Page 116 and 117: 106 Antinomy of Division B552-53) g
Page 118 and 119: 108 Antinomy of Division "machine"
Page 120 and 121: 110 Antinomy of Freedom How far the
Page 122 and 123: 112 Antinomy of Freedom of momentum
Page 124 and 125: 114 Antinomy of Freedom the Third a
Page 126 and 127: 116 Antinomy of Freedom If Kant mea
Page 128 and 129: 118 Antinomy of Freedom phenomena i
Page 130 and 131: 120 Antinomy of Freedom In the Crit
Page 132 and 133: 122 Antinomy of Freedom must appear
Page 134 and 135: 124 Systematics of Antinomy I do no
Page 136 and 137: 126 Summary position proves to be n
Page 138 and 139: 128 Antinomy of Judgment An antinom
Page 140 and 141: 130 Antinomy of Judgment §74 The r
Page 142 and 143:
132 Antinomy of Judgment must have
Page 144 and 145:
134 Antinomy of Judgment dialectic.
Page 146 and 147:
136 Antinomy of Judgment we cannot
Page 148 and 149:
138 Interpretations of the Antinomy
Page 150 and 151:
Page 152 and 153:
Page 154 and 155:
Page 156 and 157:
Page 158 and 159:
Page 160 and 161:
Page 162 and 163:
152 Heuristic but Necessary Princip
Page 164 and 165:
Page 166 and 167:
Page 168 and 169:
Page 170 and 171:
Page 172 and 173:
162 Resolution of the Antinomy the
Page 174 and 175:
164 Resolution of the Antinomy know
Page 176 and 177:
166 Resolution of the Antinomy a wh
Page 178 and 179:
168 Resolution of the Antinomy able
Page 180 and 181:
170 Resolution of the Antinomy ous
Page 182 and 183:
172 Resolution of the Antinomy intr
Page 184 and 185:
174 Resolution of the Antinomy tion
Page 186 and 187:
176 Resolution of the Antinomy meth
Page 188 and 189:
178 Resolution of the Antinomy anyt
Page 190:
180 Summary acquainted with" a caus
Page 194 and 195:
184 Bibliography Bommersheim, Paul,
Page 196 and 197:
186 Bibliography Fraisse, Jean Clau
Page 198 and 199:
188 Bibliography Kraemer, Eric Russ
Page 200 and 201:
190 Bibliography & E. Mendelsohn) B
Page 202 and 203:
192 Bibliography Roretz, Karl, "Zur
Page 204 and 205:
194 Bibliography American and Conti
Page 206 and 207:
196 Index 144; 154; 167; 169; final
Page 208 and 209:
198 Index mere understanding 47; 13
show all

KANT'S CRITIQUE OF TELEOLOGY IN BIOLOGICAL EXPLANATION

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?