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Single Idea 6203

[from 'Critique of Practical Reason' by Immanuel Kant, in 1. Philosophy / E. Nature of Metaphysics / 5. Metaphysics beyond Science ]

Full Idea

Metaphysics only contains the pure a priori principles of physics in their universal import.

Gist of Idea

Metaphysics is just a priori universal principles of physics

Source

Immanuel Kant (Critique of Practical Reason [1788], I.II.II.VI)

Book Reference

Kant,Immanuel: 'Critique of Practical Reason (Third edition)', ed/tr. Beck,Lewis White [Library of Liberal Arts 1993], p.145


A Reaction

'Universal' seems to imply 'necessary'. If you thought that no a priori universal principles were possible, you would be left with physics. I quite like the definition, except that I think there would still be metaphysics even if there were no physics.