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Single Idea 21441

[filed under theme 11. Knowledge Aims / C. Knowing Reality / 3. Idealism / b. Transcendental idealism ]

Full Idea

The word 'transcendental' does not mean something that goes beyond all experience, but something which, though it precedes (a priori) all experience, is destined only to make knowledge by experience possible.

Gist of Idea

'Transcendental' is not beyond experience, but a prerequisite of experience

Source

Immanuel Kant (Prolegomena to Any Future Metaphysic [1781], 373 n)

Book Ref

Kant,Immanuel: 'Prolegomena to Any Future Metaphysic', ed/tr. Lucas,Peter G. [Manchester UP 1971], p.144


A Reaction

One of two explanations by Kant of 'transcendental', picked out by Sebastian Gardner. I think the word 'prerequisite' covers the idea nicely, using a normal English word. Or am I missing something?

Related Idea

Idea 21442 'Transcendental' cognition concerns what can be known a priori of its mode [Kant]


The 27 ideas from 'Prolegomena to Any Future Metaphysic'

Analytic judgements say clearly what was in the concept of the subject [Kant]
Analytic judgement rests on contradiction, since the predicate cannot be denied of the subject [Kant]
Mathematics cannot be empirical because it is necessary, and that has to be a priori [Kant]
Geometry is not analytic, because a line's being 'straight' is a quality [Kant]
7+5 = 12 is not analytic, because no analysis of 7+5 will reveal the concept of 12 [Kant]
Metaphysics is generating a priori knowledge by intuition and concepts, leading to the synthetic [Kant]
Mathematics can only start from an a priori intuition which is not empirical but pure [Kant]
I can't intuit a present thing in itself, because the properties can't enter my representations [Kant]
Intuition is a representation that depends on the presence of the object [Kant]
Some concepts can be made a priori, which are general thoughts of objects, like quantity or cause [Kant]
A priori synthetic knowledge is only of appearances, not of things in themselves [Kant]
A priori intuitions can only concern the objects of our senses [Kant]
A priori intuition of objects is only possible by containing the form of my sensibility [Kant]
All necessary mathematical judgements are based on intuitions of space and time [Kant]
Geometry rests on our intuition of space [Kant]
Mathematics cannot proceed just by the analysis of concepts [Kant]
Numbers are formed by addition of units in time [Kant]
If all empirical sensation of bodies is removed, space and time are still left [Kant]
Space must have three dimensions, because only three lines can meet at right angles [Kant]
I count the primary features of things (as well as the secondary ones) as mere appearances [Kant]
I admit there are bodies outside us [Kant]
I can make no sense of the red experience being similar to the quality in the object [Kant]
Appearance gives truth, as long as it is only used within experience [Kant]
The substance, once the predicates are removed, remains unknown to us [Kant]
'Transcendental' is not beyond experience, but a prerequisite of experience [Kant]
My dogmatic slumber was first interrupted by David Hume [Kant]
'Transcendental' concerns how we know, rather than what we know [Kant]