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Kant's Doctrine of Schemata

Abstract

dc:description.abstract

The following is a study of what may be the most puzzling and yet, at the same time, most significant aspect of Kant's system: his theory of schemata. I will argue that Kant's commentators have failed to make sense of this aspect of Kant's philosophy. A host of questions have been left unanswered, and the doctrine remains a puzzle. While this study is not an attempt to construct a complete, satisfying account of the doctrine, it should be seen as a step somewhere on the road of doing so, leaving much work to be done. I will contend that one way that we may shed light on Kant's doctrine of schemata is to reconsider the manner in which Kant employs schemata in his mathematics. His use of the schemata there may provide some inkling into the nature of transcendental schemata and, in doing so, provide some hints at how the transcendental schemata allow our representations of objects to be subsumed under the pure concepts of the understanding. In many ways, then, the aims of the study are modest: instead of a grand-scale interpretation of Kant's philosophy, a detailed textual analysis and interpretation are presented of his doctrine of schemata. Instead of providing definitive answers, I will suggest clues as to how to begin to answer the questions that previous commentators have left unanswered about the doctrine.

Degree

thesis:*
Name thesis:degree_name
Master of Arts
Level thesis:degree_level
masters
Discipline thesis:degree_discipline
Philosophy
Department dc:contributor.department
Philosophy
Grantor dc:publisher
Virginia Tech
Year dc:date.issued
1999

Author and committee

dc:creator, dc:contributor.*
Author dc:creator
  • Hunter, Joseph L.
Chair dc:contributor.committeechair
  • Watkins, Eric
Committee members dc:contributor.committeemember
  • Pitt, Joseph C.
  • Ariew, Roger

Subjects

dc:subject × 7

Rights

dc:rights
Statement dc:rights
  • In Copyright

Identifiers

dc:identifier.*
Dc Identifier Other
etd-091199-091322
OAI identifier oai:identifier
oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/35022

Chain of custody

source
Harvested from
Virginia Tech
Base URL
vtechworks.lib.vt.edu/oai/request
Last updated
2026-07-22
Source record
OAI-PMH GetRecord
citation

Hunter, Joseph L.. Kant's Doctrine of Schemata. masters thesis, Virginia Tech, 1999. http://hdl.handle.net/10919/35022