Why Kant's Theory was Revolutionary? - Essay Sample

Introduction

Kant's Copernican Revolution is a combination of two dominant philosophical thoughts which are rationalism and empiricism. Some rationalists like Plato and Descartes presume that only reason can generate true knowledge. To create knowledge, we should not depend on human sensibility since human senses can be deceptive. Kant was also a rationalist, and like other rationalists, he deems that reason alone can create accurate information. Additionally, he believes that although 'reason' is core in the creation of precise knowledge, within us, survives some innate types of data that help in the formation of further knowledge. The introduction of Kant to the paradigm of the empiricists particularly in the course of Hume's reading, his argument did strike him hard to the extent of admitting that knowledge creation is a posteriori meaning that knowledge goes behind experience which is the whole idea of the empiricists. Empiricist like Aristotle and Hume suppose that only our senses and consequently experiences are applicable in gathering knowledge of the world around us. The philosophy of Hume creates the fundamental assertion of the scientific research to be precise observation and experience. Consequently, indicating that tangible and measurable evidence of truth is significant in the paradigm of empiricism.

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Conversely, Kant deduces that both rationalism and empiricism presume that the human mind has the aptitude to expose the knowledge of realism be it 'priori' or 'posteriori' His conclusion is a result of the fact that he was shaken from his rationalist receptiveness to embrace empiricism. Kant says that this is not to be supposed with ease. He affirms that the human mind is in fact somewhat limited in the scale of meaning-making because of the preexisting constrictions that are inborn to our existence. These restrictions can subsist in our brain as both synthetic types and as a priori.

In other words, when our mind comes in contact with a stimulus, we begin creating the meaning of it founded on the constraints and categories existent in our brain. These constrict are known as 'priori' constraint. After meaning-making of the stimulus at hand, we tend to build additional types of constraints in our brain which assist in unraveling the actuality of knowledge once we make other observations. These are known as the synthetic constraints. In simpler terms, Kant asserts that making meaning of the world surrounding us is exclusively based on the experiences that have been bound and shaped by the constraints or categories in our minds. Kant additionally disputes that as a result of the nature of our experiences, the type of knowledge that we decode can be divided into two categories. These are phenomenal which entails the visible or material world and 'noumenal' entailing the real or intangible world.

Hume's world is the world of empiricism and empiricism conditions that the senses can just ratify the soundness of our knowledge. For this reason, when Kant investigates and illustrates how information about the phenomenal world depends on our minds because of the world's nature, he is in support of Hume's arguments. Nevertheless, when Kant surveys the idea of understanding the 'noumenal' world, he counters Hume's argument and instead settles towards the rationalists who concur with the notion of the existence of innate ideas. Kant's rationalist's arguments are more lined to the ones by Descartes where extrication of truth does not depend on reason but also linked with sense and imagination.

Kant's theory discusses the idea of cosmology. According to him, there is an assumption that we can always reason about the cosmos or the world as a totality. Although this idea is problematic as people tend to base their experiences in bits and pieces, it had a significant influence on the culture in Europe, especially the political and legal cultures. The cosmos argument influenced the formation of the European Union, which has not only improved the economic status of many in Europe but has also brought the aspect of thinking about human rights in totality. This means that the EU adopts Kant's cosmology idea to form a federation that causes a revolution on how to make human rights an international issue. To Kant, cosmos argument brings positive revolution as it encourages people to approach a problem not subjectively (in bits and pieces) but objectively (in totality) creating positive change as seen in the changes in Europe. This answer is derived from the textbook used in class from pp. 248-249, specifically pages 246 and 247 that discuss the self, cosmos and God ideologies according to Kant.

How then is Kant's theory revolutionary? Kant subscribes to the epistemology theory that insists that we gain knowledge through experience. Apart from the Copernican Revolution, which Kant suggests it is a representation brings the possibility of an object and not vice versa, he insists on the ability of man to change his mind due to different experiences. Kant observes that we do show how what we experience is a composite of both sense data and the work of the mind. Therefore, the more experienced one is, the higher the ability to predict the future and influence revolution objectively. Further, Kant brings about the argument of substance, which he refers to as a pure concept without which we will have chaos. On interpretation, the substance can mean a stable government without which people in a state will not live in peace. Due to the necessity of a substance, Kant's idea is used as a basis for revolution as an unstable government is a ploy to the global peace and order.

Conclusion

With the above in mind, Kant's epistemology ideas are not only crucial for change revolution against dictator governments but also in the civil rights movement. The principal argument behind epistemology by Kant is that we can have objective, universal and necessary knowledge in the world, prompting positive change. For instance, one can say that Kant's ideas influence Nelson Mandela's refusal to stand down when warned to stop his fight against apartheid. Further, the rise of feminism in our society has a connection to epistemology idea of the universalism of knowledge, which included equality and non-discrimination. Kant's epistemology ideas insist on experience that comes with age resulting in wisdom. This specific idea has a positive influence on how I now view knowledge, encouraging me always to practice intellectual humility, honesty, and patience to amass as much experience as possible.