Kant

Nafisa Waliyani Ryan Johnson Philosophy 1301 November 13, 2008 In the Critique of Judgment, Immanuel Kant unfolds quite a few divergent paths in order to explore the human faculty of judgment. Critique of Judgment deals with subjects related to teleology and science, however, it is known for Kant’s opinions on aesthetics. Kant not only explains the reason behind why things are seen as beautiful, but he also explains the idea of beauty and how the insight of beauty arises within people. In order to explicate judgment, Immanuel Kant creates the ideas of determinative judgment and reflective judgment, as well as aesthetic judgments of taste. Kant defines judgment as, “…the faculty of thinking the particular as contained under the universal.” In other words, a judgment is the ability to understand how a single specific idea is classified within an extensive whole. Judgment contributes to the functioning of reason and understanding. Immanuel Kant further breaks down his definition of judgment into determinative judgment and reflective judgment. In order to clearly define determinative judgment Kant says, “If the universal (the rule, the principle, the law) is given, then judgment, which subsumes the particular under it… is determining.” Thus, if the universal is defined by a certain rule, principle, or law, then it obviously includes the particulars that fit the categories. This type of judgment is a priori. This means that it is independent of prior knowledge. A person does not need to learn on their own of how a particular fits under a universal. Through understanding and reasoning a person can classify what rules make a particular fit under a universal. For example, we can use determinant judgment to study a hexagon. A hexagon must have six edges, six sides, and six vertices. Its internal angle is 120 degrees. All these rules make up the universal concepts that define a hexagon. Therefore, we can classify an object containing six edges, six sides, six vertices, and internal angles that are 120 degrees as a hexagon. Another example of the use of determinant judgment is classifying the universal concepts of a line. A line is an infinitely long, straight curve that can pass through any two points. A particular of a line can be a ray. A ray is also a straight curve that goes through two points. A ray has the same universal concepts as a line with a few distinctions. On the other hand, Kant defines reflective judgment as, “If merely the particular is given, for which the universal is to be found, then judgment is merely reflecting.” In other words, if only the law, rule, or principle is given, the universal concept is to be found through the use of one’s imagination, or it has to be invented. Reflective judgment does not test concepts to see if they fit the universal the way determinative judgment does. Instead reflective judgment creates its own concepts from the particular. An example of the use of a reflective judgment is the examination of a tree through the human eye. First, a person observes that all trees have the common properties of a tree trunk, many branches, and leaves. Secondly, the concept of a tree is implanted in one’s mind. The concept is the universal idea. The properties are the particular. The universal, or the concept, is found after classifying the particulars, or the properties. In order to invent a concept, a person needs to think creatively. Reflective judgment allows the mind to wander and be imaginative. Kant thus created aesthetic judgment. Aesthetic judgment of taste is a result of the creativity a person uses when imagining a new concept. It concerns a person’s subjective feelings regarding an object and the pain and/or pleasure received from the object. Kant believes it is part of reflective judgment because it does not refer promptly to the object as determinative judgment does, but instead it first looks upon the imagination and the pain and pleasure felt to oneself. Kant declares that an aesthetical judgment asserts universal validity even though it is subjective. He says when we appreciate beauty we are doing so without any sort of motivation. When our judgments of taste are not goal oriented, they are universal. Thus, when we appreciate beauty, our aesthetic judgment applies universally. For example, if a person says that a rose is beautiful, it is an aesthetic judgment of taste because it is the universal truth, although it is subjective. In order for an aesthetic judgment to exist, reflective judgment is essential because we need to free the mind and be imaginative in order to truly enjoy beauty. In conclusion, Immanuel Kant’s definition of judgment as the particular under the universal can be split into many different subcategories. The categories vary from determinative judgment, which enforces a person to categorize properties under a known universal concept, to reflective judgment, which requires a person to use their imagination to create a concept. With aesthetic judgment a person is able to experience pain and pleasure with no motivation. In general, with the use of determinative judgment and reflective judgment, every particular idea is placed under a universal concept, which defines a judgment.