What does Kant entail when he speaks of his epistemological 'Copernican Revolution'?

Kant's 'Copernican Revolution' in epistemology suggested that cosmology, particle physics, theology and free will/determinism claims involve questions that are naturally raised by the structure of the mind, but owing to the nature of how the mind interacts and reconfigures the data from external world, the nature of this external world is unknowable to us. As a result, all forms of traditional theoretical metaphysical objects of enquiry rest on a fundamental mistake and cannot be objectively known in themselves. That said, the metaphysical concepts, God, the afterlife, the soul and free will still have a place in Kant's practical philosophy; not as constituent facts about reality, but as regulative concepts that provide the basic assumptions or postulates of a highly powerful ethical theory.

Answered by Samuel C. Philosophy tutor

1712 Views

See similar Philosophy A Level tutors

Related Philosophy A Level answers

All answers ▸

What is the difference between a priori and a posteriori knowledge?


Outline the problem Nozick's experience machine poses to hedonistic utilitarianism [5 MARKS]


I understand that God might let human-caused evil occur because he wanted humans to have free will, but why would God let natural harms occur?


Explain Hume's distinction between matters of fact and relations of ideas (5)


We're here to help

contact us iconContact usWhatsapp logoMessage us on Whatsapptelephone icon+44 (0) 203 773 6020
Facebook logoInstagram logoLinkedIn logo

© MyTutorWeb Ltd 2013–2024

Terms & Conditions|Privacy Policy