Immanuel Kant: Spirit Seer sees 'Natural Design' = METAphysics (1)
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Immanuel Kant had a 'computerlike' view of how to know reality, by adding all (cultural) knowledge of the details. That since Kant in a couple of ages computerscience (based on western true-false thinking) became big business, is not coincidence. Computers (logical reshufflers of western cultural memory) are VERY useful in technology, but useless (to find new ways) in philosophy.
Animals (including humans) don't sense in computer way from detail to overview, but by sensing the big picture followed by purposely zooming in. A mouse is sensed as a sound picture, temperature picture, ..., not as the sum of sound dots, temperature dots, ... Zooming in is used to confirm an opinion.
Before Kant Western civilization was deeply under influence of 'pure reason' as modelled by philosophical 'dinosaurs' like The Godfather of the Western World: Aristotle and The Godfather of Catholicism: Aquinas
Immanuel Kant (1724-1804) was professor of Logic and Metaphysics at the university of Koenigsbergen. Kant had studied the 'rational' 'metaphysics' of Wolff (student of Leibniz). Kant’s goal was to research the limits of 'pure reason' (logic). Kant argued that one could not start from a premise and build logically to real knowledge. So Kant introduced 'natural law' (metaphysics) as real knowledge (per definition). That's a premise too, but not seen by Kant as such.
Kant tried to merge rationalism (Descartes, Leibniz) and Empiricism (Locke, Hume). Kant and contemporaries did not realize that rationalism and empiricism were not that different, rationalism making a 'rational' reality and empiricism explaining the 'rational' part of sense experience with 'rational' logic. Kant: The mind has to work with what it has acquired through the senses (empiricism). Only, according to Kant this 'mind' is not passive. Rather, it actively shapes sense information (using Memory + Natural Law + Freedom).
Immanuel Kant considers metaphysics = 'natural law' as the queen of all science, and science as unravelling of 'natural law'.
After Kant Western civilization was deeply under influence of 'pure reason' as modelled by philosophical 'dinosaurs' like Aristotle, Aquinas AND The Godfather of MetaPhysics: Kant. After Kant, the old debate between rationalists and empiricists disappeared to the background, the concept 'metaphysics' ('mind') dominated the discussions of reality. Since Kant practically all western 'rational philosophers' have defended the claim that there is a design behind nature (natural design) that can only be 'known' by 'mind' (with 'rational' logic as natural logic), and is independent of any physical experience (METAphysical). This design is called 'a priori knowledge', and very useful to presume structure were there is only random-made physics + selection (and no 'freedom').
Between Aristotle and Kant's Critique of Pure Reason are 20 ages and in the field of ethics they quite disagree, but in matters of dualism they are distant 'twins'. Both Aristotle and Kant made some racist remarks, but it would be unfair to call them racists.
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Immanuel Kant: Natural Design is in the 'mind' (intro 2)
Immanuel Kant argued that human 'knowledge' is more than only sense experience, but that the 'mind' is structured according to the Natural Law behind reality. Thus the structure of the human mind shapes all sensory experience. Quite modern if 'Natural Law' had pointed at evolution (dna), but Kant makes a mess and descends to the level 'God, soul, free will' and now presumes the existence of a 'mind' programmed with 'a priori' (natural law). Kant this way presumes that man is MORE than the sum of his evolutional history (creationism). Because obviously according to Kant sensed reality orderly behaves within Natural Law in our mind, and some 'approved by Natural Law' reality is 'known' (filtered by reason). My advice (Henk Tuten): don't try to make sense of Kant
Kant thinks that Natura Law fits Enlightenment a priori concepts like time and space (a priori: true even before experience). Implicitly Kant argues that concepts of physics such as time, space, causation, inertia, ... are 'knowledge stones' (pure intuitions) in our 'mind, (causes of 'understanding'. Kant's 'Natural Law' nevertheless is a typical product of his time, and quite protestant. 'Natural law' presumes a design, that is 'known' without experience, behind any object. 'Justice', 'mind', 'consciousness', ..are wishful imaginations around this natural design.
Henk Tuten: Kant made a brilliant observation: that humans sense within some scheme.
But Kant made his eternal TRUTH very small and prejudiced, he tried to fit his own very fundamentalist
protestant conceptual scheme in his eternal truth. Kant's rational humans 'know' a 'rational part of reality' that
is build of different stones with different 'ratio'
to that 'rational subreality'. .
Immanuel Kant: Spirit Seer sees 'Natural Design' (intro 3)
Kant made the catholic god 'God' into eternal structure behind physics (METAphysics).
Immanuel Kant (18th century) posed that the representation (dream; sense-picture; metaphysics) makes the object possible,
rather than that the object (physics) makes it possible to cut it into a set of parts.
So without 'human made parts' no 'objects.Kant correctly assumes that a photographer presents reality as sum of dots ('sense picture'). But to make photos a photographer needs objects (the camera obscura is known since say 1500). The photographer can present an object in limitless ways (conceptual schemes), but be sure that such 'sum of dot' pictures of reality are related because their source is the same object. Looking at a house with bare human eyes or through infrared binoculars gives very different 'sum of dot presentations'=sense-pictures. Common Sense is optimized all the time.
According to Kant a coffeecup is 'recognized' by human users as coffeecup, because there are 'natural logic' for coffeecups. Common Sense: a drinking device is a coffeecup if you can drink coffee with it. Kant: a drinking device is a coffeecup if the natural logic for coffeecup = TRUE.
In 'sight simulating software' on computers there are decision rules for coffeecups. If a drinking device doesn't fit the 'rules for coffeecups', even if you can drink coffee from it, than helas it is not a 'coffeecup'.
Kant introduced the never proven human 'mind/soul' as an active interpretor of arbitrary 'a priori' and as being able of reasoning within such 'a priori' (selfmade 'natural laws'). Rather than the brain a passive archiver of sense perception.
Kant posed that physical reality (the physical coffeecup) cannot be 'known' by 'metaphysical' 'reason'. and that his 'metaphysical reason' created a 'rational and analytical mind' that 'sees' a virtual reality (a virtual coffeecup), using 'metaphysical laws' (God). And Kant claimed that this 'a priori' reality of God (the virtual coffeecup) is superior to sensed reality (the physical coffeecup used for drinking, and sensed by our fingers and lips). If americans using 'natural laws' see 'terrorists' instead of humans in another paradigm, then 'terrorists' are products of the 'rational and analytical mind', a virtual reality (almost no sense) for humans in the Aristotelian Paradigm.
Kant must have 'argued' that without 'a priori' (natural laws) recognition is not possible. But bodily intuition does not 'recognize' (step by step using rules from laws), but compares (using archived 'experience). And uses many criteria.
Any ape does not 'recognize' a human ape by using 'natural laws', but by comparison with in memory stored 'pictures of reality', and 'remembers' that 9 out of 10 times these human apes behave like dangerous predators with as favorite food 'terrorists'.
Kant's 'Critique of Pure Reason' is defense of idea-lism
An successful idealist attempt to create a sect 'ratiology'
Let's destroy the myth. The Critique of Pure Reason(the Bible of Western Enlightenment; cornerstone of 'Western World' ethics) is in fact
IDEAlism (using 'Christian' ideas; by Kant called Transcendental Idealism ) and defending 'reason' and rational logic.
Sometimes called: 'transcendental idealism'. Kant quite circular argued that sense perceptions could never explain the 'rational order' of the world. Kant saw reality as perceived as instead the product of the rule-based activity of 'synthesis.' Synthesis Kant defined as 'analysis' by the 'mind' through "categories of 'understanding' in 'space' and 'time', which Kant did not recognize as Enlightenment 'ideas' as well but saw as 'a priori' conditions for any sense perception. Thus Kant saw an 'objective order' in nature with 'causal necessity' that is related to 'the mind'.
In a nutshell, Kant's opinion is that the (preprogrammed) STRUCTURE of the human 'mind' shapes all sensory experience and 'thought'. 'Mind' produces our reality by acting as a filter, an organizer. But instead of concluding that all perception of reality is subjective, Kant concludes that the representation by 'mind' follows 'natural laws' and thus is 'objective'. Kant turned things upside down by 'theorizing' that 'natural law' (objective reality) is in the 'mind'.
No doubt 'rational' logic is very useful in the 'rational' branch of technology , but the so called 'social sciences' including 'economy' are sneaky instruments of 'rational power'. 'Economy' presents the 'rational' myth that 'inflation' is a natural property. No, inflation is megafraud (myth of infinite growth).
To 'know' in virtual reality (a rational reality) is an IDEA, living in physical reality = to sense. That it is 'rational' to punish crimes when committed in full 'knowledge' presumes that 'knowledge' is a property of 'mind' and that 'mind' exists. In common sense punishing AFTER an unwanted action may have ritual sense, but besides dampening emotion is egoism. When considering 'weirdos' as part of 'the collective', the by this collective unwanted action should be prevented by the collective. Punishing BEFORE an unwanted action is counterproductive. It is more effective in BEHAVIOR to treat weirdos respectfully and not as outcasts.
Ron Hubbard in the 20th century tried to repeat Kant's trick 'rational' reality in the 'scientological' reality of his sect "Scientology".
Equally virtual, and inside the isolated sect 'scientology' the 'scientological' reality is VERY convincing.
Kant's Ivory Tower
From between his 'books' full of 'words' in his Ivory Tower far from reality the Word-Wizard Immanuel Kant in his word-magic Kritik der reinen Vernunft intended to show that 'reality' is made in 'bibles' (science fiction).
Critique/Kritik does not mean criticism, but 'analysis'. Kant is not attacking 'pure reason', but defending 'reason' against 'impure knowledge' supplied by senses (mind over body; denial of common sense making sense). For Immanuel Kant, truth is above common sense and accessible by 'metaphysical' 'minds' because TRUTH is hidden in in 'metaphysical' 'rational categories'. Kant's 'Critique' can be interpreted as trying to make the 'bibles' of 'pure reason' accepted as 'higher' than common sense. In Kant's view 'pure reason' is practiced by 'metaphysical' 'rational minds' and is independent of physical common sense (pure reason = metaphysical = stuff of bibles = faith) Kant wrote that all our knowledge is relative to human perception and 'reasoning'. We 'see' reality as it appears to us through our senses (filters of perception) and 'thought' (fantasy made into logic like 'rationalism'). So far Kant is defending 'cultural relativism'. Both Giambattista Vico and Immanuel Kant see common sense as THE guideline for decisions. But Kant might have had 'moral' reasons (his Critique is part of his Philosophy of Religion) to come to his tricky concluson: therefore the only 'truth' is our selfmade 'truth' (there is nothing higher than reason: 'rationalism'). Kant states that 'morality' requires belief in the existence of IDEAS like 'god', 'freedom and 'immortality'. Kant suggests that in the end only 1 selfmade 'truth' is behind 'human reality'. 'Kantian truth' ('rationalism'), fundamentally protestant.. The Critique of Pure Reason should be understood as quasi mathematical description of a world based on Roman Christian supremacy (a priori). An a priori judgment is purely personal truth made into faith. Faith in 'rational' a priori is (inherently arrogant) called: 'understanding' |
Kant's 'Transcendental Continuity'
Continuity as used in 'rational' logic (Kantian Logic) is by Kant himself qualified as 'transcendental continuity'. Only to be used in 'reasoning' (math) and without empirical reality. For Kant continuity is a metaphysical property behind intuition, understanding and reason. The intuitions 'space and time' are described as 'continuous' quantities, without smallest part. Causality is by Kant seen as continuous; so causality needs no explanation in terms of parts. Kant uses the metaphysical concept of continuity whenever he needs it. Even to defend individual 'ownership' in his 'philosophy of right'
The Word Wizard Kant was seriously addicted to the 'rational myth consciousness, and claims that his own 'word' "synthesis" indicates THE fundamental activity of the 'mind' (inherently assuming a mind-body split). Kant posed that our fantasy (the structure of our ideas = 'mind') shapes our experience of objects ("phenomenal reality"), using unchangeable rules (a priori). Concepts like "God", "freedom", "immortality". In the end just complex determinism. 'Synthesis' is a 'Kantian word' pointing at a function that presumes independent 'mind' (fantasy function).
Intelligence is adequate BEHAVIOR. I'll demystify Kant's religious 'understanding' of 'words'. By substituting Kant's Enlightenment 'words' a priori and pure reason with the 21st century words IDEA, LOGIC and FAITH.
Summary in a nutshell of the Critique of Pure ReasonI. The distinction between IDEA and behavior.
Kant poses: Behavior creates knowledge , but ....IDEAS (juggling with a priori knowledge = Pure Reason faith in Logic) are basis of behavior (Henk Tuten: See picture left)
II. Universal IDEAS fundate 'human understanding' (Henk Tuten: "The Kingdom of Heaven = Creationism = Fundamentalism = Absolutism"). Kant poses: Behavior is useful, but confusing (Henk Tuten: "Better read papers?")
III. Search for universal IDEAs is 'Science' (Henk Tuten: Searching for 'Heaven' = 'understanding' = Universal Truth)·
Kant poses: Universal IDEAs (pure dreams = science) ground Basic Knowledge
IV. Analytic and synthetic Judgements
· Analytic Judgments: 'rational' juggling with ritual behavior (Henk Tuten: 'Rational' part of 'Cultural Truth')
· Synthetic Judgments: juggling with IDEA basics (a priori) (Henk Tuten: Virtual Truth)
V. Theoretical Science: IDEAS extracted from IDEAS.
· Mathematical judgments are IDEA. (Henk Tuten: Mathematical Truth)
· Natural science (physics) is IDEA made into rockhard rules. (Henk Tuten: 'Scientific Truth')
· Metaphysics = IDEA in pure shape (dream) (Henk Tuten: Hallucination)
VI. The problem of IDEAs
· What makes IDEAs possible? (dreaming) (Henk Tuten: The Art of Dreaming)
VII. "CRITIQUE OF PURE REASON" = SPECIAL SCIENCE given from God: fantasy based on fundamental fantasies
· Transcendental: IDEAs about IDEAs. (Henk Tuten: Stuff for Madhouses)
VERY interesting is that towards the end of Kant's critical period Kant 'awoke from his dogmatic slumber' and he began to question the a priori basis of metaphysics, and ended by losing all faith in the value of metaphysical reasoning.
Henk Tuten
most pictures on the websites of Henk Tuten
