back to ideas for this text


Single Idea 5535

[from 'Critique of Pure Reason' by Immanuel Kant, in 27. Natural Reality / D. Time / 2. Passage of Time / a. Experience of time ]

Full Idea

The proposition that different times cannot be simultaneous is synthetic, and cannot arise from concepts alone. It is therefore immediately contained in the intuition and representation of time.

Gist of Idea

That times cannot be simultaneous is synthetic, so it is known by intuition, not analysis

Source

Immanuel Kant (Critique of Pure Reason [1781], B047/A32)

Book Reference

Kant,Immanuel: 'Critique of Pure Reason', ed/tr. Guyer,P /Wood,A W [CUO 1998], p.162


A Reaction

It seems possible that this proposition is in fact analytic. What would it be like for two times to be simultaneous? If it happened we would not accept it, because it would violate our very concept of an instant in time.