The Critique of Judgment and the Unity of Kant's Critical System

by Lara Ostaric

In this book, Lara Ostaric argues that Kant's seminal Critique of Judgment is properly understood as completing his Critical system. The two seemingly disparate halves of the text are unified under this larger project insofar as both aesthetic and teleological judgment indirectly exhibit the final end of reason, the Ideas of the highest good and the postulates, as if obtaining in nature. She relates Kant's discussion of aesthetic and teleological judgment to important yet under-explored concepts in his philosophy, and helps the reader to recognize the relevance of his aesthetics and teleology for our understanding of fine arts and genius, the possibility of pure judgments of ugliness, Kant's philosophy of history, his philosophy of religion, and his conception of autonomy. Ostaric's novel and thoroughly integrative presentation of Kant's system will be of interest not only to Kant scholars but also to those working in religious studies, art history, political theory, and intellectual history.

320 pages, Hardcover

Published August 10, 2023

Reviews

[Dan DalMonte · Rating 5 out of 5]

There is an invigorating energy to this book as it seeks to ground the unity of theoretical and practical reason in the critique of judgment, Kant’s third critique. Theoretical reason is architectonic, which leads it to seek the unconditioned for the series of conditions. But theoretical reason is also finite, since it is not able to have cognition of what is beyond possible experience. Practical reason has practical cognition of its freedom in virtue of the moral law,, which it not be able to choose were it completely controlled by its inclinations. The moral law in turn is the foundation of the highest good, I.e. a just God whose providence ensures that good conduct will eventually receive a reward. But there is an incalculable gulf between these two faculties of reason, because we cannot have theoretical cognition of any of the objects of practical cognition. Judgment mediates between theoretical cognition and the supersensible postulates of practical reason. Judgment views experience in terms of a principle of purposiveness, in virtue of which items of experience have an organization, as if they were the product of an intelligent creator. Through the experience of beauty, we are able to perceive, not just conceive, that our moral vocation is ultimately realizable.