Date of Award

4-14-2010

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts (MA)

Department

Philosophy

First Advisor

Dr. Sebastian Rand - Committee Chair

Second Advisor

Dr. Andrew Altman - Committee Member

Third Advisor

Dr. Jessica Berry - Committee Member

Abstract

Kant is famous for his use of transcendental arguments in the transcendental deduction. This thesis examines how such a transcendental argument is used within Kant’s methodological framework. Following the work of Henrich and Walker, the paper asks whether transcendental arguments in the Critique of Pure Reason are compatible with Kant’s methodology in general. We find that these arguments and Kant’s methodology are compatible, and that transcendental arguments are indeed very weak arguments by Walker’s standards. However, the entire transcendental deduction should be understood as a deduction writing that uses transcendental arguments particularly effectively according to Kant’s own methodological standards.

DOI

https://doi.org/10.57709/1338881

Included in

Philosophy Commons

COinS