Kant et les conditions "conditionnées" de la possibilité de l’expérience
Article [Version of Record]
Is part of
Aretè : international journal of philosophy, human and social sciences ; vol. 2, pp. 12-26.Publisher(s)
Università degli Studi Guglielmo MarconiAuthor(s)
Abstract(s)
The aim of this paper is to set out some features of Kant’s conception of transcendental
philosophy. I would like to argue that this philosophy, although it is situated at a higher level of
discourse than common knowledge, does not essentially transcend the limits that it sets to this
knowledge. In order to achieve this, I stress the fact that Kant regards experience as a mere
“possibility.” Now, the Critique of Pure Reason explains that the human understanding cannot conceive of
an absolute possibility, but only a relative one, namely a possibility that is tied to conditions. And
possible experience as a whole is no exception here. Hence the expression “conditions of the possibility
of experience” which designates the topic of the Transcendental Analytic. This also means that
experience is “contingent” (A 737/B 765). It is not in itself necessary; rather, it is dependent upon
certain conditions. But then we learn that the most important transcendental conditions for this
experience, i.e., the dynamic principles, are themselves “contingent” (A 160/B 199). Consequently,
these transcendental conditions are not unconditioned; they in turn depend on empirical conditions,
over which they have no control.
Note(s)
Traduction française de la version originale anglaise disponible dans Papyrus sous le titre : Kant on the "Conditions of the Possibility" of Experience. La version anglaise a été publiée dans : S. Hoeltzel and H. Kim (eds), Transcendental Inquiry. Its History, Methods and Critiques, Cham (Switzerland), Palgrave Macmillan, 2016, p. 1-20.This document disseminated on Papyrus is the exclusive property of the copyright holders and is protected by the Copyright Act (R.S.C. 1985, c. C-42). It may be used for fair dealing and non-commercial purposes, for private study or research, criticism and review as provided by law. For any other use, written authorization from the copyright holders is required.