Single Idea 5616

[catalogued under 2. Reason / A. Nature of Reason / 3. Pure Reason]

Full Idea

Pure reason is concerned with nothing but itself, and it can have no other concern, because what is given to it is not objects to be unified for the concept of experience, but cognitions of understanding to be unified for the concept of reason.

Gist of Idea

Pure reason is only concerned with itself because it deals with understandings, not objects

Source

Immanuel Kant (Critique of Pure Reason [1781], B708/A680)

Book Reference

Kant,Immanuel: 'Critique of Pure Reason', ed/tr. Guyer,P /Wood,A W [CUO 1998], p.610


A Reaction

It is hard to accept this sharp division between 'understanding', which gets involved in experience, and this very "pure" reason, which seems in danger of solipsism, and is playing a private game. I think purity comes in degrees.