Kant's Inferentialism: The Case Against Hume (Routledge Studies in Eighteenth-Century Philosophy)

Kant’s Inferentialism Draws On A Wide Range Of Sources To Present A Reading Of Kant’s Theory Of Mental Representation As A Direct Response To The Challenges Issued By Hume In A Treatise Of Human Nature. Kant Rejects The Conclusions That Hume Draws On The Grounds That These Are Predicated On Hume’s Theory Of Mental Representation, Which Kant Refutes By Presenting Objections To Hume’s Treatment Of Representations Of Complex States Of Affairs And The Nature Of Judgment. In Its Place, Kant Combines An Account Of Concepts As Rules Of Inference With A Detailed Account Of Perception And Of The Self As The Locus Of Conceptual Norms To Form A Complete Theory Of Human Experience As An Essentially Rule-governed Enterprise Aimed At Producing A Representation Of The World As A System Of Objects Necessarily Connected To One Another Via Causal Laws. This Interpretation Of The Historical Dialectic Enriches Our Understanding Of Both Hume And Kant And Brings To Bear Kant’s Insights Into Mental Representation On Contemporary Debates In Philosophy Of Mind. Kant’s Version Of Inferentialism Is Both Resistant To Objections To Contemporary Accounts That Cast These As Forms Of Linguistic Idealism, And Serves As A Remedy To Misplaced Humean Scientism About Representation.--amazon.com. Hume's Theory Of Mental Representation -- Two Objections To Hume's Theory Of Mental Representation -- The A-deducation And The Nature Of Intuitions -- The Object Of Representation -- Self And World In The Analogies Of Experience -- The Inferential Self -- Postscript On Transcendental Idealism. David Landy. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. Kant's inferentialism' draws on a wide range of sources to present a reading of Kant's theory of mental representation as a direct response to the challenges issued by Hume in A Treatise of Human Nature. Kant rejects the conclusions that Hume draws on the grounds that these are predicated on Hume's theory of mental representation, which Kant refutes by presenting objections to Hume's treatment of representations of complex states of affairs and the nature of judgment. In its place, Kant combines an account of concepts as rules of inference with a detailed account of perception and of the self as the locus of conceptual norms to form a complete theory of human experience as an essentially rule-governed enterprise aimed at producing a representation of the world as a system of objects necessarily connected to one another via causal laws. This interpretation of the historical dialectic enriches our understanding of both Hume and Kant and brings to bear Kant's insights into mental representation on contemporary debates in philosophy of mind.0Kant's version of inferentialism is both resistant to objections to contemporary accounts that cast these as forms of linguistic idealism, and serves as a remedy to misplaced Humean scientism about representation "Beginning with an overview of Hume's life and work, Don Garrett introduces in clear and accessible style the central aspects of Hume's thought. These include Hume's lifelong exploration of the human mind; his theories of inductive inference and causation; skepticism and personal identity; moral and political philosophy; aesthetics; and philosophy of religion. The final chapter considers the influence and legacy of Hume's thought today. Throughout, Garrett draws on and explains many of Hume's central works, including his Treatise of Human Nature, Enquiries Concerning Human Understanding, and Dialogues Concerning Natural Religion. Hume is essential reading not only for students of philosophy, but anyone in the humanities and social sciences and beyond seeking an introduction to Hume's thought"-- Provided by publisher Cover Title Copyright Dedication Contents Acknowledgments Notes on the Texts Introduction 1 Hume's Theory of Mental Representation 2 Two Objections to Hume's Theory of Mental Representation 3 The A-Deduction and the Nature of Intuitions 4 The Object of Representation 5 Self and World in the Analogies of Experience 6 The Inferential Self Postscript on Transcendental Idealism Index