What is a "thing in itself» (Ding an sich)?This term refers to the philosophy of the existence of things in themselves, without regards to their knowledge, that is, regardless of how they are learned.To understand what Kant said, we must take into account that the concept of the "thing in itself," he has several meanings, and includes two basic meanings.First of all, it is meant that the objects of knowledge are in themselves, apart from the logical and sensible forms, with which they are perceived by our consciousness.
In this sense, the "thing in itself," Kant means that any expansion and deepening of knowledge is the only knowledge of phenomena, and not the things themselves.This is due to the fact that it occurs in the subjective forms of reason and sensibility.For this reason, Kant believes that even mathematics is an exact science, does not reflect the objective reality, so it is reliable only for us as a perceived inherent us a priori forms of reason and sensibility.
Cognition according to Kant
What is a "thing in itself" for Kant?It is time and space, which are the basis of the accuracy of mathematics, arithmetic and geometry.This is not a form of existence of things directly, and the forms of our sensibility, do not require proof.At the same time, causality, substance and interaction are not the subject of things, it's only a priori forms of our understanding.The concept of science, in principle, does not copy the properties of objects, it belongs to the category of things, imposed reason to "material".Kant believes that the properties offered by science, do not depend on any particular subject of disorder, but it can not be argued that the laws, cognitive science, independent of consciousness.
limited and limitless knowledge of Kant
ability to learn can be limited and unlimited.Kant says that empirical science has no limits for the further deepening and expansion.By observing and analyzing the phenomenon, we penetrate into the depths of nature, and who knows how far we can go with the times.
Nevertheless, science, according to Kant, can be limited.In this case, it refers to the fact that for any deepening and expansion of scientific knowledge can not go beyond the logical forms, by which there is an objective knowledge of reality.That is, even if we manage to fully explore natural phenomena, we will never be able to answer questions that are beyond nature.
unknowable "things in themselves»
«thing in itself" - is, in fact, the same agnosticism.Kant thought that in his teaching of a priori forms of reason and sensibility he turned to overcome the skepticism of Hume and the ancient skeptics, but in reality his concept of objectivity and ambiguous meanings.The fact that, according to Kant, is "objective", in fact, completely reduced to universality and necessity, which refers to them as a priori determination of sensibility and reason.As a result, the ultimate source of "objectivity" becomes the same subject, and not the actual external world, which is reflected in the abstractions of mental cognition.
«thing in itself" philosophy
above-explained the meaning of "things in themselves," Kant only applies when trying to explain the possibility of a precise mathematical and scientific knowledge.But in justifying the idea of his philosophy and ethics, it acquires a slightly different meaning.So what is a "thing in itself" in the philosophy of Kant?In this case, it refers to the specific objects of the intelligible world - freedom of the definition of human action, and the immortality of God as a supernatural cause of peace and truth.The principles of Kant's ethics is also reduced to such an understanding of "things in themselves."
Philosopher admitted that man is inherent evil and ineradicable contradictions of social life caused by them.And while he was convinced that the human soul longs for the harmonious state between moral attitudes and behavior.And, according to Kant, this harmony can be achieved is not empirical, but intelligible world.It is to provide moral world order, Kant seeks to understand what a "thing in itself".To the world "phenomena", he considers the nature and its phenomena as an object of scientific knowledge, and to the world of "things in themselves" - immortality, freedom and God.
principal unknowableness
As already noted, the "thing in itself," Kant declares unknowable, and its unknowableness - any time and relativity, and in principle, insurmountable by any philosophical knowledge and progress.God is so unknowable "thing in itself."Its existence can neither confirm nor deny.Existence of God - is a postulate of reason.The man recognizes that God is not based on logical proof, and the categorical imperative of moral consciousness.It turns out that in this case, Kant criticized reason to affirm and strengthen the faith.The restrictions which it applies to the theoretical reason - is the limitations that must stop not only science, but also the practice of the faith.Faith must be outside those boundaries and become invulnerable.
form of Kant's idealism
to postpone the resolution of conflicts and contradictions - the socio-historical and ethical - in the intelligible world, it was necessary to apply the idealistic interpretation of the basic concepts of theoretical philosophy.Kant was an idealist in philosophy and ethics, but not because it was idealistic theory of knowledge.But rather, on the contrary, the theory was idealistic, because the philosophy of history and ethics proved to be idealistic.German reality since Kant completely denied the opportunity to solve real contradictions of society in practice and the likelihood of their adequate reflection in the theoretical thought.
For this reason, Kant's philosophical outlook was formed in the traditional vein of idealism under the influence, on the one hand, Hume, and on the other - Leibniz, Wolff.The contradiction of these traditions and attempt to analyze their interaction is reflected in Kant's doctrine on the limits and forms of reliable knowledge.
