In what way is Kant justifiably called a Subjectivist or Idealist?

We are perfectly justified in maintaining that only what is within
ourselves can be immediately and directly perceived, and that only my
own existence can be the object of a mere perception. Thus the
existence of a real object outside me can never be given immediately
and directly in perception, but can only be added in thought to the
perception, which is a modification of the internal sense, and thus
inferred as its external cause … . In the true sense of the word,
therefore, I can never perceive external things, but I can only infer
their existence from my own internal perception, regarding the
perception as an effect of something external that must be the
proximate cause … . It must not be supposed, therefore, that an
idealist is someone who denies the existence of external objects of
the senses; all he does is to deny that they are known by immediate
and direct perception … .
—Critique of Pure Reason, A367 f.

Given this statement, how is any position which asserts a Realist
position ever justifiable?

-- 
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups 
"Epistemology" group.
To post to this group, send email to epistemology@googlegroups.com.
To unsubscribe from this group, send email to 
epistemology+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com.
For more options, visit this group at 
http://groups.google.com/group/epistemology?hl=en.

Reply via email to