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The Doctrine of Self-positing and Receptivity in Kant's Late ...

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the Selbstsetzungslehre. In this respect, the aim here is to elucidate their mean<strong>in</strong>g with<br />

the help <strong>of</strong> his earlier work <strong>and</strong> from out <strong>of</strong> this make clear what the ―analytic‖ self-<br />

<strong>posit<strong>in</strong>g</strong> is with respect to apperception.<br />

i. a. Apperception as Logical Act<br />

Apperception‘s most basic function <strong>in</strong> Kant‘s theoretical philosophy is that <strong>of</strong><br />

unity <strong>of</strong> elements, whether exclusively <strong>of</strong> thought (such as <strong>in</strong> concepts or judgments) or<br />

<strong>of</strong> the given <strong>in</strong> <strong>in</strong>tuition (pure or empirical), hence enabl<strong>in</strong>g both logic <strong>and</strong> transcendental<br />

logic respectively. In the Selbstsetzunglehre, this function is encapsulated <strong>in</strong> the concept<br />

<strong>of</strong> a ―logical act.‖ <strong>The</strong> follow<strong>in</strong>g are sample passages from the Op where this articulation<br />

appears; he writes:<br />

<strong>The</strong> first act <strong>of</strong> the faculty <strong>of</strong> representation is the consciousness <strong>of</strong> myself<br />

which is merely logical act underly<strong>in</strong>g all further representation[...] 139<br />

<strong>The</strong> faculty <strong>of</strong> representation proceeds from the consciousness <strong>of</strong> myself<br />

(apperceptio), <strong>and</strong> this is a merely logical act, an act <strong>of</strong> thought, through<br />

which no object is yet given to me. 140<br />

<strong>The</strong> consciousness <strong>of</strong> myself is logical merely <strong>and</strong> leads to no Object; it is,<br />

rather, a mere determ<strong>in</strong>ation <strong>of</strong> the subject <strong>in</strong> accordance with the rule <strong>of</strong><br />

identity. 141<br />

139 Ak: 22:77. Förster, 185. Orig<strong>in</strong>al: ―Der erste Act des Vorstellungsvermögens ist das<br />

Bewustseyn me<strong>in</strong>er Selbst[,] welches e<strong>in</strong> blos logischer Act ist[,] der aller übrigen<br />

Vorstellung zum Grunde liegt [...].‖<br />

140 Ak: 22:79. Förster, 187. Orig<strong>in</strong>al: ―Das Vorstellungsvermögen geht vom Bewustseyn<br />

me<strong>in</strong>er selbst aus (apperceptio) und dieser Act ist blos logisch, der des Denkens, wodurch<br />

von mir noch ke<strong>in</strong> Gegenst<strong>and</strong> gegeben wird.‖<br />

141 AK: 22:82. Förster, 188. Orig<strong>in</strong>al: ―Das Bewustseyn me<strong>in</strong>er selbst ist blos logisch<br />

und führt auf ke<strong>in</strong> Object sondern ist e<strong>in</strong>e bloße Bestimmung des Subjects nach der Regel<br />

der Identität.‖<br />

101

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