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15. The Paralogisms of Pure Reason in the First Edition

(A338/B396–A347/B406; A348–380)
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Immanuel Kant: Kritik der reinen Vernunft
This chapter is in the book Immanuel Kant: Kritik der reinen Vernunft
371The A-Paralogisms15.1 The Position and Function of theParalogisms*While Kant’s Critique of Pure Reason attempts in its first majorpart, the Transcendental Analytic, to make positive argumentsconcerning the a priori structure of experience, its second majorpart, the Transcendental Dialectic, presents what is largely a nega-tive treatment of traditional metaphysical arguments for a prioritheoretical claims that go beyond human experience and henceare mere Ideas. The first substantive section of the Transcenden-tal Dialectic, the Paralogisms, presents a critique of rational psy-chology and of traditional arguments for its central Idea, im-mortality (B395n), whereas the next major sections, the Antino-my and the Ideal, are devoted to the arguments of rationalcosmology and speculative theology, and criticize, among otherclaims, all theoretical proofs concerning the Ideas of freedomand God. The pattern common to arguments in these threespheres is one of reason concluding, via a categorical, hypothet-ical, or disjunctive syllogism, to an “unconditioned” entity whichis required to ground particular conditioned items, such as athinking subject, a series of appearances, or the determinablethought of a thing as such (A340/B398, cf. A323/B379 f.,A397 f.). Thus, to infer a soul that has thoughts as predicates butKarl AmeriksThe Paralogisms of PureReason in the First Edition(A338/B396–A347/B406; A348–380)15*In what follows, “paralogism(s)” refers to the syllogisms criticized by Kant,“Paralogism(s)” to the section of the KrV and its parts.

371The A-Paralogisms15.1 The Position and Function of theParalogisms*While Kant’s Critique of Pure Reason attempts in its first majorpart, the Transcendental Analytic, to make positive argumentsconcerning the a priori structure of experience, its second majorpart, the Transcendental Dialectic, presents what is largely a nega-tive treatment of traditional metaphysical arguments for a prioritheoretical claims that go beyond human experience and henceare mere Ideas. The first substantive section of the Transcenden-tal Dialectic, the Paralogisms, presents a critique of rational psy-chology and of traditional arguments for its central Idea, im-mortality (B395n), whereas the next major sections, the Antino-my and the Ideal, are devoted to the arguments of rationalcosmology and speculative theology, and criticize, among otherclaims, all theoretical proofs concerning the Ideas of freedomand God. The pattern common to arguments in these threespheres is one of reason concluding, via a categorical, hypothet-ical, or disjunctive syllogism, to an “unconditioned” entity whichis required to ground particular conditioned items, such as athinking subject, a series of appearances, or the determinablethought of a thing as such (A340/B398, cf. A323/B379 f.,A397 f.). Thus, to infer a soul that has thoughts as predicates butKarl AmeriksThe Paralogisms of PureReason in the First Edition(A338/B396–A347/B406; A348–380)15*In what follows, “paralogism(s)” refers to the syllogisms criticized by Kant,“Paralogism(s)” to the section of the KrV and its parts.

Chapters in this book

  1. Front Matter i
  2. 1. Einleitung: Kants Kritik der reinen Vernunft 5
  3. 2. Die Vorreden 37
  4. 3. Die Einleitung 57
  5. 4. Transzendentale Ästhetik, §§ 1–3 81
  6. 5. Transzendentale Ästhetik, §§ 4–8 107
  7. 6. The Divisions of the Transcendental Logic and the Leading Thread 131
  8. 7. Die transzendentale Deduktion in der ersten Auflage 159
  9. 8. Die transzendentale Deduktion in der zweiten Auflage 189
  10. 9. Die Einleitung in die Analytik der Grundsätze, der Schematismus und die obersten Grundsätze 217
  11. 10. Die Axiome der Anschauung und die Antizipationen der Wahrnehmung 247
  12. 11. Die Analogien der Erfahrung 267
  13. 12. The Postulates of Empirical Thinking in General and the Refutation of Idealism 297
  14. 13. Phaenomena/Noumena und die Amphibolie der Reflexionsbegriffe 325
  15. 14. Transzendentale Dialektik, Einleitung und Buch I 353
  16. 15. The Paralogisms of Pure Reason in the First Edition 371
  17. 16. Die Paralogismen der reinen Vernunft in der zweiten Auflage 391
  18. 17. Die Antinomie der reinen Vernunft, 1. und 2. Abschnitt 413
  19. 18. The Antinomy of Pure Reason, Sections 3–8 447
  20. 19. The Antinomy of Pure Reason, Section 9 465
  21. 20. Das Ideal der reinen Vernunft 491
  22. 21. Der Anhang zur transzendentalen Dialektik 525
  23. 22. Die Disziplin der reinen Vernunft, 1. Abschnitt 547
  24. 23. Die Disziplin der reinen Vernunft, 2. bis 4. Abschnitt 571
  25. 24. Der Kanon der reinen Vernunft 597
  26. 25. Architektonik und Geschichte der reinen Vernunft 617
  27. Back Matter 647
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https://doi.org/10.1524/9783050050386.371

Chapters in this book

  1. Front Matter i
  2. 1. Einleitung: Kants Kritik der reinen Vernunft 5
  3. 2. Die Vorreden 37
  4. 3. Die Einleitung 57
  5. 4. Transzendentale Ästhetik, §§ 1–3 81
  6. 5. Transzendentale Ästhetik, §§ 4–8 107
  7. 6. The Divisions of the Transcendental Logic and the Leading Thread 131
  8. 7. Die transzendentale Deduktion in der ersten Auflage 159
  9. 8. Die transzendentale Deduktion in der zweiten Auflage 189
  10. 9. Die Einleitung in die Analytik der Grundsätze, der Schematismus und die obersten Grundsätze 217
  11. 10. Die Axiome der Anschauung und die Antizipationen der Wahrnehmung 247
  12. 11. Die Analogien der Erfahrung 267
  13. 12. The Postulates of Empirical Thinking in General and the Refutation of Idealism 297
  14. 13. Phaenomena/Noumena und die Amphibolie der Reflexionsbegriffe 325
  15. 14. Transzendentale Dialektik, Einleitung und Buch I 353
  16. 15. The Paralogisms of Pure Reason in the First Edition 371
  17. 16. Die Paralogismen der reinen Vernunft in der zweiten Auflage 391
  18. 17. Die Antinomie der reinen Vernunft, 1. und 2. Abschnitt 413
  19. 18. The Antinomy of Pure Reason, Sections 3–8 447
  20. 19. The Antinomy of Pure Reason, Section 9 465
  21. 20. Das Ideal der reinen Vernunft 491
  22. 21. Der Anhang zur transzendentalen Dialektik 525
  23. 22. Die Disziplin der reinen Vernunft, 1. Abschnitt 547
  24. 23. Die Disziplin der reinen Vernunft, 2. bis 4. Abschnitt 571
  25. 24. Der Kanon der reinen Vernunft 597
  26. 25. Architektonik und Geschichte der reinen Vernunft 617
  27. Back Matter 647
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