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
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.
