/lit/ - Literature

>>15654637
>I like a need by opinion approved by

>>15585304
>Refutation of Idealism
IN THE SECOND EDITION of the Critique of Pure Reason Kant inserted a refutation of
idealism in the examination of the "Postulates of Empirical Thought." This is one of
the most condensed sections of the Critique, but because of the nature of its subject it
is also one of the most important. It is the most direct attempt to set the Kantian position
off from Berkeley and more particularly from Descartes. In spite of the evident importance Kant placed on these passages the argument is marred by subtle shifts of terminology so that the casual reader is likely to misunderstand the position which is being
upheld. Indeed, as we shall see, this terminological difficulty is to be found in the very
formulation of the thesis to be proved in the section. It is the purpose of this paper to
draw out, or perhaps to reconstruct, the main argument of the refutation and in the
process clarify exactly what is and what is not being proved. The argument as it will be
reconstructed is not found explicitly in the section under consideration, but then it can
hardly be expected that what is essentially a one-paragraph argument can adequately
spell out all that it involves, particularly when the literary style is a good illustration of
all the negative comments which have been leveled against the German metaphysical
writings.