Single Idea 21059

[catalogued under 20. Action / C. Motives for Action / 3. Acting on Reason / a. Practical reason]

Full Idea

A concept of the understanding, which contains the general rule, must be supplemented by an act of judgement whereby the practitioner distinguishes instances where the rule applies from those where it does not.

Gist of Idea

General rules of action also need a judgement about when to apply them

Source

Immanuel Kant (True in Theory, but not in Practice [1792], Intro)

Book Reference

Kant,Immanuel: 'Political Writings', ed/tr. Reiss,Hans [CUP 1996], p.61


A Reaction

This is Aristotle's phronesis, and Hart's 'rules of recognition' in law courts. So is the link between theory and practice an intellectual one, or a sort of inarticulate intuition? I like 'common sense' for this ability.

Related Idea

Idea 20932 Positive law needs secondary 'rules of recognition' for their correct application [Hart,HLA, by Zimmermann,J]