Kant’s first critique, Videos 27-28

This document will cover comments and notes on a series of videos on the critique by Victor Gijsberts.

Video 27, The Transcendental Deduction B §15-18

§15

The combination (synthesis) of a sensible manifold must be given in the understanding. For something to be a combination, it needs to be presented as an object. An object being presented as belonging together is a judgement.

§16

All representations must be combinable with the unity of our self-experience. This is called the transcendental unity of self-consciousness (called apperception in the A version). Becoming aware of the united consciousness can only occur through the act of consciousness.

§17

The uniting of the manifold requires it to be though of as an object in a unified self-conscious consciousness.

§18

The question that remains is: Can we experientially become aware of the unity of consciousness? This “empirical level” is only possible due to the transcendental level which is more objective and thus the focus of the deduction.

Video 28, The Transcendental Deduction B §19-§20

§19

A judgement is “just” that which present things as belonging together necessarily to the consciousness. Because these judgements are necessary, they are objective unities, even if the judgement is empirical. In this latter case, the necessity present only in virtue of the unity of self-consciousness.

§20

Because judgement presents us manifold intuitions we can know a priori that these intuitions fall under the categories Since the categories are the methods of judging.