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‘The understanding prescribes laws to nature’: Spontaneity, Legislation, and Kant’s Transcendental Hylomorphism
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Konstantin Pollok
Published/Copyright:
December 1, 2014
Abstract:
In this paper I argue for the following two related claims. First, a successor version of the scholastic ‘forma-non-afficit’ theorem functions as the key to Kant’s transcendental idealism. Second, drawing on the ‘natural right’ tradition which Kant sees himself being part of, the relation between our cognitive spontaneity and the legislation of the understanding is one of acknowledgment (rather than creation) of the laws of the understanding. This interpretation allows us to make sense of pure concepts and principles of the understanding as the fundamental laws of nature. They rationally constrain our empirical concepts and judgments, and thus warrant the ‘lawfulness in the connection of appearances.’ (Prol, AA 04:§ 36)
Published Online: 2014-12-1
Published in Print: 2014-12-1
© De Gruyter
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Articles in the same Issue
- Titelseiten
- Preface
- What is, for Kant, a Law of Nature?
- Prescribing laws to nature. Part I. Newton, the pre-Critical Kant, and three problems about the lawfulness of nature
- ‘The understanding prescribes laws to nature’: Spontaneity, Legislation, and Kant’s Transcendental Hylomorphism
- Laws of Nature and Causal Necessity
- Transcendental Presuppositions and Ideas of Reason
- Modal Motivations for Noumenal Ignorance: Knowledge, Cognition, and Coherence
- Kant-Bibliographie 2012
- Mitteilung der Herausgeber
- Übersetzung von Kants Werken ins Koreanische
- Kant as a Poetic Philosopher
- Appel à communications
- Dank
- Jahresinhalt Kant-Studien Jg. 105, 2014
Articles in the same Issue
- Titelseiten
- Preface
- What is, for Kant, a Law of Nature?
- Prescribing laws to nature. Part I. Newton, the pre-Critical Kant, and three problems about the lawfulness of nature
- ‘The understanding prescribes laws to nature’: Spontaneity, Legislation, and Kant’s Transcendental Hylomorphism
- Laws of Nature and Causal Necessity
- Transcendental Presuppositions and Ideas of Reason
- Modal Motivations for Noumenal Ignorance: Knowledge, Cognition, and Coherence
- Kant-Bibliographie 2012
- Mitteilung der Herausgeber
- Übersetzung von Kants Werken ins Koreanische
- Kant as a Poetic Philosopher
- Appel à communications
- Dank
- Jahresinhalt Kant-Studien Jg. 105, 2014
