Immanuel Kant (1724-1804)

Lecture # 10

GERMAN CLASSICAL PHILOSOPHY

PART I

Content of the lecture:

1. Introduction

2. Classical German philosophy

3. German philosophers (Kant, FW Schelling, Fichte)

4. Conclusion

5. Recommended Readings

Introduction

End of XVIII - first half of XIX century characterized by the domination of German classical philosophy. German classical philosophy considered the top of the development of philosophical thought of Modern times.

Classical German philosophy

· Interest in the theory of knowledge (epistemology);

· Interest in ethical issues;

· Desire to develop a universal (absolute) the laws of the world and of human thinking;

· High scientific level of philosophical works

German philosophers

Immanuel Kant (1724-1804)

Kant spent all his life in Konigsberg (now Kaliningrad, Russia). He was head of the philosophy department at the university, and later became its rector. Two periods of Kant biography:

1. Subcritical (up to 1770). Kant started work as a scientist. He formulated the hypothesis of the solar system, the influence of the moon on the tides.

2. Critical (from 1770)

Kant has nascent interest (қызықшылық білдіру/ проявлять интерес) in the problems of philosophy. In 1780 appeared his works: "Critique of Pure Reason," "Critique of Practical Reason" and "Critique of judgment (Критика способности к суждению)".

The main question for Kant – how to know the thing in itself? "Things in itself" are the objects and phenomena of the world. They exist objectively, that is why, independently of human consciousness (сана/сознание). According to Kant, everyone is trying to find the essence of "things in itself". In the process of learning this phenomenon, he goes through three stages:

At the stage of perceptual (сезімдік/чувственног о) knowledge (testimony (көрсету/показания) of the senses: smell, color, etc.) knowledge are chaotic and not systematic;

At the stage of knowledge through reason is the systematization of chaotic experiences with space and time (birth/native/innate category);

At the stage of rational knowledge a person tries to go beyond the evidence of the senses, space and time. Man tries to give a definition of general concepts, consciousness, God, matter. However, a person will face persistent antinomies - mutually contradictory propositions (түсіндіріс/суждение) on the subject. For example: God is a God or not.

Kant's conclusions:

With a clean mind and know the essence of innate categories of "things in itself" impossible. Know the essence of "things in itself" is possible with morality (practical reason). Kant believed that people should not depend on the testimony of the senses, and innate categories. He should think of moral categories. The moral law, according to Kant: act so in relation to the other, how would you like to do unto you. This law is called the categorical imperative of Kant. This rule philosopher concluded: man should always be viewed as goal and not a mean. Kant created the original theory of knowledge and ethical teachings. At the core of his teachings were the ideals of humanism.