Philosophy and literature Class note- 21st sept. 2011.

The three important works by Kant are- Critique of pure reason, Critique of practical reason and Critique of judgment. He read Newton thoroughly and arrived at the conclusion that it is through reason that one understands the world. Kant’s argument is how do we understand world when we all are made up of same substance i.e. matter. But according to Kant we can understand and know it and that is through the ability to think. This is a particular way to understand the world. Human mind has the faculty of pure reason. He says that we can know the world but it is purely momentarily.

This is because we are matter with consciousness and one can have glimpse into life and world and thus momentarily understanding. This could be a possible reason for the fascination of death. Regarding this, a very interesting analogy was discussed in class, the whole thing was compared to a fish that can take a glimpse of water outside it but that can’t last longer because beyond that the fish can’t survive.

Kant goes on to say that human mind doesn’t have just pure reason but also practical reason and it also has a faculty of judgment and this faculty gives aesthetic vision. Though paradoxically aesthetic pleasure itself is non judgmental. It is a faculty of judgment that never judges.

About the birth of subject, Kant says there is a world to be known, can we transcend the limit of knowing. Now again Kant says that this ‘knowing’ of world is limited so in order to transcend the limit, subject is born. In order to transcend, one has to suffer.

Prepared by Fathima M
Citation

Pinto, Anil. Literature and Philosophy. Christ University. 21 Sept.2011. Lecture.

Zima, Peter. The Philosophy of Modern Literary Theory. New Jersey: The Athlone Press, 1999. Print.