Kant's Doctrine of Transcendental Illusion

Modern European Philosophy

by Michelle Grier

This major study of Kant provides a detailed examination of the development and function of the doctrine of transcendental illusion in his theoretical philosophy. The author argues that we cannot understand Kant unless we take seriously his claim that the mind inevitably acts in accordance with ideas and principles that are "illusory." Taking this claim seriously, we can make much better sense of Kant's arguments and reach a deeper understanding of the role he allots human reason in science.

Genres: Philosophy

330 pages, Hardcover

First published May 16, 1997

Reviews

[Jesse · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not sure how I feel about the idea of Reason serving a regulative function in the actual acquisition of empirical knowledge. I tend to like Friedman's idea of reason serving a regulative in terms of organizing empirical knowledge into a systematic unity. But this is an important book and very compelling in its account of transcendental illusion vs subreption.