The Doctrine of Self-positing and Receptivity in Kant's Late ...
The Doctrine of Self-positing and Receptivity in Kant's Late ...
The Doctrine of Self-positing and Receptivity in Kant's Late ...
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<strong>in</strong>tuition‖ is prior to any categorical determ<strong>in</strong>ation <strong>of</strong> it, which means that it has no status<br />
as a substance with<strong>in</strong> the cognitive doma<strong>in</strong>. It is also not an appearance, which means<br />
that it does not yet concern the modi or manner <strong>in</strong> which what is given is; space <strong>and</strong> time<br />
are not yet said to be forms <strong>of</strong> all <strong>in</strong>tuition. Neither is it a noumenon. Instead it concerns<br />
what he calls the real, what exists <strong>in</strong> fact, a k<strong>in</strong>d <strong>of</strong> given empirical representation.<br />
In relation to th<strong>in</strong>k<strong>in</strong>g, this <strong>in</strong>determ<strong>in</strong>ate empirical <strong>in</strong>tuition is presented as<br />
condition for there to be any ―I th<strong>in</strong>k‖ at all. However, as empirical <strong>in</strong>tuition, it is clearly<br />
not the <strong>in</strong>tellectual ―I.‖ Tak<strong>in</strong>g all <strong>of</strong> these characteristic marks <strong>in</strong>to account, it appears to<br />
be what is given to consciousness prior to any self-consciousness, but a condition for its<br />
possibility. In other words, it is what must be <strong>in</strong> place for there to be any ―orig<strong>in</strong>al<br />
attribution‖ at all.<br />
Although he provides no direct citation from which his particular <strong>in</strong>terpretation<br />
arises, <strong>in</strong> his essay ―Subjekt und Person bei Kant‖ Baum gives an account <strong>of</strong> a moment <strong>in</strong><br />
Kant‘s position that he refers to an ―act <strong>of</strong> prima occupatio.‖ 218 It designates the first act<br />
by which the ―sens<strong>in</strong>g I‖ is attributed or <strong>in</strong>corporated <strong>in</strong>to the <strong>in</strong>tellectual ―I‖ as<br />
belong<strong>in</strong>g to it. Accord<strong>in</strong>g to Baum‘s read<strong>in</strong>g, the process by which this takes place is<br />
one <strong>of</strong> self-affection: the act <strong>of</strong> attention <strong>and</strong> attachment by <strong>and</strong> to the ―I th<strong>in</strong>k.‖ From<br />
what has been discussed thus far concern<strong>in</strong>g the doctr<strong>in</strong>e <strong>of</strong> self-<strong>posit<strong>in</strong>g</strong>, it is not entirely<br />
clear if or where this first act would belong <strong>in</strong> the schema. It is equally unclear thus far<br />
dadurch nicht sagen will, das Ich <strong>in</strong> diesem Satze sei empirische Vorstellung; vielmehr<br />
ist sie re<strong>in</strong> <strong>in</strong>tellectuell, weil sie zum Denken überhaupt gehört.‖<br />
218 Baum, M. ―Subjekt und Person bei Kant,‖ <strong>in</strong> Transzendenz und Existenz. Idealistische<br />
Grundlagen und modern Perspektiven des transzendentalen Gedankens. Wolfgang Janke<br />
zum 70. Geburstag, ed. Manfred Baum <strong>and</strong> Klaus Hammacher. Amnsterdam/Atlanta, GA<br />
2001, 6.<br />
150