Sagan and Kant. (9/9/07 9/19/07 2/14/08). Kantian response to Sagan's criticism of Kant's moral "proof" of the existence of God.

Kant On The Recognition Of Dreams And The Affinity of All Things (4/16/01 4/17/01 3/21/02) An exposition of Kant's subjective and objective deductions of the categories with regard to the determination of how dreams are different from perceptions of our waking hours.

Hume's Dilemma (5/16/01 5/19/01 5/19/01) Hume was not able to explain how it was that he could know that his table did not get smaller as it most obviously seemed to when further removed from him. This is the required explanation. (See Hume's Enquiry, Section 118 (back button required to return here).)

A Priori Envisagements. (8/3/98 8/3/98 8/3/98) This is a rather brief examination of the Kantian notion of envisagement which focuses more on the envisagement of time. It includes a rehash of the process of understanding and the necessary presuppositions for understanding. There is a very short appendix contrasting Kant's conception of the envisagement as a form of sighting with that of the envisagement as an object on its own, as it were, which is really a short commentary on the B version of the Transcendental Deduction, No. 26, Paragraph 3 and footnote.

Diverse Anschauungen. Suggestions on the difference between the animal and the human anschauung, and then the two fundamental human envisagements, namely the Hookian and then the Humean anschauungs.

Split Fingers Reflections upon reading Thomas Reid's Inquiry (11/20/97 5/5/98 3/22/02). These reflections deal in the first instance with the "split-finger" when we touch our nose; and then more generally with the validity of empirical concepts.

Kant's Conception of Object [or: Kant in a NutShell] (11/19/97 8/11/98 3/22/02) Here I seek to make plain for new students of Kant the meaning of object, and how it is that as result of this conception analytical judgments with regard to empirical concepts are far from trivial. I expect to develop this essay, but it is sufficiently coherent presently to warrant recommendation as a learning device with regard to the thinking of Kant. I think that the better part of the essay may be its differentiation of subjective and objective space (and time) by means of Kantian idealism. A humorous, instructive and alternative view of space is given in the appendix on Captain Hook and the Rainbow. On 8/11/98 I added to this appendix on Hook some thoughts on rationalism which are yet uncertain and which I hope to review and perhaps revise soon.

7+5 = 12 (10/22/99 8/28/00 4/1/01) A rather brief analysis of this problem and its solution by Kant. The inability of the analytical method to ever come to 12 when considering 7 and 5. The unity in thinking of the synthetic approach both with regard to 7+5 = 12 and the constancy of the empirical thing on its own. I have appended an appendix to this essay in which I explore the possibility of an empirical solution to the equation.

7+5 = 12 again (2/5/01 2/5/01 6/17/01) An even more brief look at the problem.

Aesthetic versus Axioms (8/2/00 8/13/00 3/18/02) There is an apparent discrepancy in Kant's treatment of space and time in the Aesthetic and in the Axioms of Envisagement (in the Analytic) of Pure Reason. Here I have sought to reconcile these two sections and have done so by means of the difference between the "infinite givens" of time and space (per the Aesthetic) and the determination spaces and times (of the Axioms).

Circles in the Air. [or also: Hume's Table] (7/95, 7/95, 4/22/2001) This is a much expanded version of an essay which originally appeared in Kant-Studien in the second issue of that publication for 1996. It treats especially of the fourth part of the second of the three main parts of the first (A) version of the Transcendental Deduction of the Categories from the Critique of Pure Reason, and also tentatively hypothesizes a difference in treatment of objects in the Aesthetic of that work from an earlier view which is given in the Kant's Inaugural Dissertation. The appendix treats rather briefly of Kant's theory of mathematics and the reconciliation of the necessity of science with the freedom of law and religion (see the essay below, entitled: In Pursuit of the Object: Kant's Thinking in Development, for a more complete treatment of this). The page references to the German (Academy) edition is given in the text within { } brackets. Some more recent thinking (and especially a revision of my understanding of Kant's theory of mathematics) is presented below in the essay entitled Hume's Two Errors.

The A Version of Kant's Transcendental Deduction of the Categories. (Cir. 1993 12/30/96 1/1/97) This comprises both my translation of this first of the two versions of the deduction (applicability) of the categories of pure thought, and also my commentary on the Deduction. The latter is rather historic in presentation, in that the development of the translator's ideas is presented. Later I intend to tidy this up and greatly consolidate these comments. A word about translation: Anschauung I render with envisagement; Begriff with comprisals (and occasionally by concept), Erscheinung with specter, and Vorstellung with depiction. This translation may be helpful in conjunction with the "gloss" (as one reviewer termed it) entitled: Circles in the Air, and which appeared in the second issue of the 1996 edition of Kant-Studien. Also: some references to "Wesley Journal" are not yet linked to the text, but this should not affect the comprehension of the notes and my interpretation of Kant's text and meaning.

Letter to Christopher (9/19/04 9/19/04 9/19) containing a brief deduction of the category of causation.

Development of the Empirical Concept. (8/24/00 8/24/00 3/25/02) Prompted by an essay by Andrew Carpenter on this subject I seek to show that Kant's thinking with regard to the development of empirical concepts is consistent with the rest of his theory of knowledge.

Hume's Two Errors. (12/20/96 11/18/97 11/18/97) My argument here is that Hume's errors are two fold, namely he assumes that that there is an object of experience (and then is rightly perplexed as to how we could know anything definite about this object); and then he also assumes there is not an object of mathematics (and thereby misses the hint as to how the assumed object of experience actually arises [for the object, i.e., the certifying representation, of mathematics is, subjectively speaking, one with the object of experience, both being supplied by the inquisitive and idle human mind]). The contents are listed below. [The final appendix still needs a bit of editing.]

The insights into Kant's theory of mathematics expressed in this article are rather recent (early 1/97) and, as far as I am concerned, definitive. [I have (11/18/97) added a footnote to the mathematical section in order to treat (briefly) of an objection raised against my thinking as expressed in this section. And this footnote includes what I consider to be the fundamental axiom of logical arithmetic.]

Contents: Introduction * The Object of Experience * The Object of Mathematics * Conclusion

Appendices: Berkeley's Influence on Kant * A Speculation on the Change in Kant's Thinking from the Inaugural Dissertation to the Critique of Pure Reason, with Respect to the Object * Importance of Kant's Idealism on the Concept of Freedom * An Alternative Science * Kant's Choice of 7+5 = 12 for his Example of the Need for a Pure Envisagement * The Formulation of Arithmetic as a Logical Science * Conversation with a Blind Friend

In Pursuit of the Object: Kant's Thinking in Development. (3/20/97 3/21/97 3/21/97) This essay is directed toward a grasp of how Kant may have reached his thinking with regard to the moral object. It is located somewhat prematurely here among the finished essays on Kant, for it is really no more than a somewhat polished sketch.

Kant's Proof of Freedom (1/7/99 1/9/99 1/9/99). A draft commentary on Kant's proof of the reality of freedom as presented in Section 6 of the Critique of Practical Reason, pp 53 and 54. -- Appendix added 1/9/99 to incorporate a report of teaching ethics in a technical university and an analysis of the implications of that report. This entire essay is still very drafty and needs editing and even to be reformulated, but the basic logic is clear. Briefly and illustratively: the penchant of Don Quixote to spy giants where others saw windmills is evidence of a pathological disturbance; the penchant of Don Quixote to do honorable things as a result of the moral law is not evidence of a pathological disturbance; although, from a strict understanding of the psychologist, the two penchants are indistinguishable; the reason for this differentiation? the psychologist is also subject to the moral law.

V. The Constitution of every church always proceeds from some historical belief (revelation), which we can term ecclesiastical faith, and this is best established upon a Holy Scripture. (2/21/98 2/21/98 2/21/98) This is my own translation of one of the chapters from Kant's seminal work: Religion Within the Bounds of Sheer Reason. The original publication spanned two versions, the so-called A and B, and the number of the page of these versions are given in this translation before the first word appearing on that page, respectively; for example, when the reader finds ". . .[B 146 A 138] acceptable . . " this will indicate that the (German equivalent of) "acceptable" is the first word on page 138 of the first, and 146 of the second, of the two original versions. Also I have maintained religiously the unity of Kant's own sentences and have numbered them. The number is first by paragraph, and then by sentence within the paragraph. My own translation here is a second draft, and hopefully will be replaced by a third and final draft within the next thirty years or so.

Third Antinomy Very Briefly Considered. (6/24/00 6/24/00 6/24/00) This is a quick (and overly simplified) consideration of the year 2000 debate on creationism and evolution from the standpoint of Kant's work on freedom versus nature. I will likely be editing this some before it is in a final format.

Third Analogy Very Briefly Considered (8/6/06 8/6/06 8/6/06) An attempted exposition of this analogy, but unable yet to reconcile it with the First Analogy.

Space. (12/2/01 12/16/01 12/16/01) Here I seek to give a concise recap of Kant's treatment of space in the Aesthetic of the Critique of Pure Reason.

In Aid of Trinitarians. (2001? 2001 9/29/02). A consideration of real "multinities" and how they can provide an analogy for a trinity. Based on Kant's fascination with incongruent counterparts like the left and right hands.

Kant and the Paulians Christian (2002 2002 6/22/04) An investigation into Kant's assertion that the Christian faith is "the only moral religion in the known history of the world." This essay was originally prepared for a book of essays on Kant's Religion Within The Bounds Of Reason Alone but was rejected as inadequate.

Kant's Condemnation of Abraham (4/13/05 5/11/05 5/11/05) Kant's condemnation of Abraham for thinking to slay his innocent son. The immoral Islamic and the [possibly] moral Jewish perspectives on Abraham and his obedience to his "voices."

"Concerning The Guidance Of The Conscience In Matters Of Belief" (1/27/05 1/27/05 4/13/05) From Kant's Religion Within The Bounds Of Sheer Reason. A translation by Philip Rudisill

Concise Presentation of the Moral Proof of Freedom. (8/29/04, 8/29/04, 8/29/04) Brief presentation of the two "proofs" of freedom by Immanuel Kant. With notes on the Groundwork to the Metaphysic of Morals and the Critique of Practical Reason, especially the Highest Good and the postulation of immortality and God.