back to ideas for this text


Single Idea 5531

[from 'Critique of Pure Reason' by Immanuel Kant, in 27. Natural Reality / C. Space / 2. Space ]

Full Idea

Space is a necessary representation, a priori, which is the ground of all outer intuitions. One can never represent that there is no space, although one can very well think that there are no objects to be encountered.

Gist of Idea

Space is an a priori necessary basic intuition, as we cannot imagine its absence

Source

Immanuel Kant (Critique of Pure Reason [1781], B038/A24)

Book Reference

Kant,Immanuel: 'Critique of Pure Reason', ed/tr. Guyer,P /Wood,A W [CUO 1998], p.158


A Reaction

The proposal that space is a mental intuition rather than a reality strikes me, and most people, as daft, but the observation that we are incapable of imagining the absence of space is striking. It is one of the basics of thought.