Single Idea 6160

[catalogued under 7. Existence / E. Categories / 2. Categorisation]

Full Idea

It is unclear whether Kant says the mind imposes space and time and categories, such as substance and cause and effect, on empirical objects, or whether our mind restricts our cognition to such features of noumenal objects. Imposition, say the majority.

Gist of Idea

Does Kant say the mind imposes categories, or that it restricts us to them?

Source

comment on Immanuel Kant (Critique of Pure Reason [1781]) by Mark Rowlands - Externalism Ch.3

Book Reference

Rowlands,Mark: 'Externalism' [Acumen 2003], p.36


A Reaction

Rowlands says, rightly, that Kant probably thought the mind imposed categories, but that he should have said that it restricts us to them. The imposition view leads to idealism, anti-realism and madness; restriction is common sense, really.