Kant Paper

One of the most controversial aspects of Kant’s critical philosophy is his use of the concept of the thing in itself or the noumenal realm.

(1) In the first part of the paper, explain the meaning of this concept and how Kant’s views about the limits of reason led him to introduce it.

(2) In the second part, point out that Kant’s use of the thing in itself is apparently inconsistent, illustrating your comments with what you think is the most blatant example cited in the Scruton book. Then describe how the subjective quality of Fichte’s version of transcendental idealism gets rid of this problem by eliminating the concept of the thing in itself. Finally, explain Kant’s claim that Fichte’s view is no different than dogmatism because it doesn’t set any limits to reason.

(3) If you would like, you can extend your paper by stating and defending your opinion on the debate between Kant and Fichte: Do you agree with Kant that the concept of the thing in itself must be retained? If not, do you think Fichte succeeds in avoiding Kant’s criticism? Why or why not? (Make sure that the preceding part of the paper is sufficiently developed and is at least 4 full pages long.)

Sources and Citations – Provide full citations for any quotations or paraphrases (not including class lectures), using any standard method that provides all of the relevant information (including exact page numbers or a URL with an exact date). Keep in mind that many internet sources are unreliable.

Sample: Augustine, “On the Free Choice of the Will,” in Medieval Philosophy, 4^th edition, ed. Forrest E. Baird and Walter Kaufmann (Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall, 2003), p. 81.

Place full citations in endnotes or a bibliography placed at the very end of the paper. Citations in the text or in footnotes should include only the author’s last name and the page numbers.

Length – Minimum 4 full pages, maximum 7 pages. If you use formatting or stylistic devices which artificially inflate the length of your writing – such as titles or headers, footnotes or citations within the text, or extra spaces between paragraphs – you will need to expand the length of your essay to make up the difference.

Grammar, Spelling, Style, Organization – Remember to edit and revise your papers before turning them in. If there is more than one error, on average, per page, you will need to rewrite your paper. Students with serious writing issues will be required to take drafts of each of their papers to the Campus Writing Center in EN A012 for assistance.

Formatting – Number pages and staple; 12 point type; Double-spaced; 1-1.5 inch margins