Q&A: The Difficulty in Kant’s Method
The Difficulty in Kant’s Method
Question
Good morning, Rabbi,
In your book "Truth and Not Stability," while surveying the data you mentioned Kant’s approach and the difficulty in it. Could the Rabbi explain the matter a bit?
I don’t understand: seemingly, Kant claims that all the “lawfulness” is not embedded in nature but is constructed out of our category. Like glasses that I put on, and therefore I see reality this way. But I can’t even manage to understand what the claim is here: according to this, when I act according to some particular lawfulness—how do I manage to hit upon reality (the thing-in-itself)? If the lawfulness is only in my eyes, how can I really be certain that what I do tomorrow according to that lawfulness will correspond to the actual reality in which I am acting?!
Thank you in advance.
Answer
It isn’t certain, but Kant thought this is a form of thinking that is built into us, and therefore it will always accompany us. I don’t see much point in defending a position that I don’t agree with.
Discussion on Answer
Why does the Rabbi think this is talking about the thing-in-itself?
I understand it as talking about me, and as long as I have those “glasses,” the situation will remain.
I didn’t understand.
Hello Rabbi, my question was what the underlying idea is, because I’m unable to understand the move.
Why, if this is ingrained in our way of thinking, should that be supposed to help in reality itself? That is the main question.