Summary:
This paper explores Martin Heidegger's inheritance and development of Immanuel Kant's theory of transcendental imagination and time. The article first summarizes Kant's theory of schema law and its role in solving the problem of the application of categories to phenomena, and points out the ambiguous position of imagination in Kant's system and its complex relationship with time. Subsequently, turning to Heidegger's overcoming of the problem of transcendence, by establishing temporality as central to the understanding of being, Heidegger redefines imagination as equivalent to original time and gives new meaning to the existential structure.
I. Introduction
In the history of philosophy, Immanuel Kant's contribution to epistemology cannot be underestimated, especially the system of twelve categories proposed in his Critique of Pure Reason, which attempts to build a bridge between the world of knowledge and experience, and solves the fundamental problem of how reason can be effectively applied to the phenomenal world. However, how categories can be universally and necessarily applied to a heterogeneous number of empirical objects, that is, the problem of the application of categories, has become a key question to be answered urgently in Kant's philosophy.
To solve this dilemma, Kant introduced the "schematic doctrine", which is a theoretical conception that aims to connect abstract transcendental concepts with intuitive materials through the mediation of "schemas", so as to ensure the effective use of categories. As a priori stipulations of temporality, schemas not only reveal the conditions for the application of categories, but also reflect the central role of imagination in the process of cognition.
However, Kant's discourse on imagination is ambiguous, especially when it comes to viewing imagination as a product of purely temporal provisions, which leads to many theoretical inconsistencies. On the one hand, imagination is regarded as a bridge between the intellt and the sensual, but on the other hand, it is not clearly defined in Kant's system, and its exact role in the process of knowing and its relationship with time have become an unresolved question in Kant's philosophy. This problem not only affects our comprehensive understanding of Kant's theory, but also hinders the in-depth exploration of his epistemology.
II. Kant's Doctrine of Schematic Law and Its Dilemma
A. Basic concepts of the schematic method
Kant's doctrine of schematic law aims to address the fundamental question of how the category of pure reason can be universally and necessarily applied to intuitive materials. Schemas play a crucial role here, as they bridge the intellectual realm with sensory intuition.
Schema as a bridge between intuition and concept: Kant argues that categories, as rules of pure reason, cannot be directly related to sensory intuition in themselves because they operate in very different ways. Categories belong to the rules of thinking, while intuition belongs to the content of perception. As a special mental construct, the schema is neither purely conceptual nor intuitive, but has a dual nature, which can establish a necessary correspondence between categories and intuition, so that categories can be applied to experience. For example, the category "entity" is associated with an intuitive persistent object through a "persistent" schema.
The prescriptiveness of time as a priori schemas: Kant further states that time is an essential element of schemas, an innate form of all intuitions, and a priori conditions that make schemas possible. Time, as an intuitive inner form, provides a unified framework for categories, enabling them to be applied in time series. This a priori prescriptiveness of time ensures the universality and inevitability of the schema, so that the category can transcend specific intuitive content and achieve universal applicability.
B. The Role and Limits of Imagination
In the doctrine of schematic law, imagination is given a special place.
Imagination as a purely intuitive synthetic faculty: Kant distinguishes between two kinds of imagination, namely the regenerative imagination and the productive imagination. In the schematic method, the production of imagination is particularly crucial, which is responsible for creating or synthesizing images that are neither purely conceptual nor directly derived from the senses, i.e. schemas. This synthesis allows the abstract category to be connected to the intuitive material, and the imagination thus becomes the mediator between the concept and the intuition.
The "retreat" of imagination and Kant's unfinished question: Although imagination occupies a central place in Kant's system, its discourse appears insufficient and systematic. Kant sometimes described imagination as a purely intuitive passive acceptance of the stipulations of time, and at other times emphasized its active creativity. This contradiction leads to the ambiguity of imagination in the theoretical system. In addition, Kant's failure to fully elucidate exactly how the imagination performs its function in schematic law, and in particular how it concretely creates schemas that are neither conceptual nor intuitive, becomes an unresolved question in Kant's philosophy.
C. Initial manifestations of transcendence problems and the formulation of temporal issues
Kant's incomplete treatment of the imagination actually touches on a deeper philosophical problem, the transcendental problem.
Initial Manifestations of the Transcendental Problem: The Transcendental Problem involves how reason transcends the boundaries of experience to think about transcendent objects such as freedom, the soul, God, etc. On the question of imagination, Kant's failure to fully explain how imagination can transcend individual intuitive experience and creatively generate universally valid schemas is a manifestation of transcending the problem.
The question of time: As a priori stipulation of the graph, the nature and function of time have become the key to the problem. If time is both an innate form of intuition and the basis of imaginative activity, then the question of how to understand the origin and nature of time, and how it can serve as a universal framework for the application of categories, becomes a question that must be faced. Although Kant pointed out the importance of time, the philosophical discussion of time itself was not fully developed, which left a broad space for subsequent philosophical developments, especially Heidegger's work.
III. Heidegger's overcoming of the transcendent problem
A. Transcend the nature and importance of difficult problems
On the basis of the critical inheritance of Kant, Heidegger has made an in-depth analysis and repositioning of the transcendent problem.
Definition of transcendence: In Heidegger's view, transcendence refers not only to the transcendent thinking capacity of reason, but also to the way of being of the Being itself, that is, the Being is always beyond itself and open to its possibilities. This transcendence is the fundamental characteristic of Sein, which is not an attribute of the Being externally, but is internal to the Being's structure of being. The essence of the transcendental problem lies in how to understand the future-oriented, self-transcendent mode of existence of the existent.
The Meaning of Overcoming the Transcendental Problem: Heidegger's efforts to overcome the transcendental dilemma aim to reconstruct the foundations of philosophy beyond the framework of traditional epistemology and turn to the inquiry into Being itself. This is not only a transcendence of traditional metaphysics, but also a profound reflection on the state of existence of modern man, which has the far-reaching significance of opening a new path of thought and understanding the way of human existence.
B. Temporality and Existential Connection
In Heidegger's philosophy, temporality becomes the key to deconstructing transcendent problems.
Temporality as the core of the existential problem: Heidegger argues that traditional philosophy ignores the ontology of time as the context of the physical world or the flow of consciousness. Rather, he argues that temporality is the fundamental structure of existence, a prerequisite for understanding how beings exist. Existence is always in time, and temporality constitutes the process of the blooming of existence, that is, the existence of the existent is the unfolding of temporality.
Heidegger's new understanding of time: Unlike Kant, who regarded time as an intuitive and innate form, Heidegger proposed the concept of "origin time", which is not an objectively elapsed dimension, but a dynamic field that constitutes the possibility of being of beings. Origin time is composed of three intertwined dimensions: future, past, and present, which together reveal the way of being of the being, that is, the projection of possibility into the future, the present shaped by the past, and the changing present.
C. Reinterpretation beyond puzzles and imagination
Heidegger's discussion of the imagination unfolds within the framework of his ontology, which offers a new perspective on transcending the problem.
The ontological position of imagination from the perspective of existential problems: For Heidegger, imagination is no longer a simple mental function or a bridge between intuition and concept, but a core capacity of existential understanding. It enables the being to transcend the reality directly given by the present moment and to invest in the possibility and participate in the revelation of existence. Thus, imagination acquires a new place ontologically, as the driving force of existential understanding.
The Origin and Transcendence of the Imagination: Heidegger emphasizes the origin of the imagination, meaning that it is part of the being's mode of being, rather than an external faculty. This originality of the imagination is directly related to the origin time, which enables the being to encounter time in a transcendent way, that is, by throwing himself into the future, preserving the past and revealing existence in the present. Therefore, the transcendence of imagination is reflected in the fact that it enables us to transcend the limitations of the present and enter into a broader vision of existence, thus achieving an ontological overcoming of the problem of transcendence. These insights of Heidegger not only deepen the understanding of imagination, but also open up a new direction for philosophical exploration, pointing to the more fundamental realm of being itself.
IV. Heideggerian Reconstruction of the Transcendental Imagination
A. Imagination is equivalent to the time of origin
By redefining the relationship between imagination and time, Heidegger has achieved a profound reconstruction of imagination.
Definition and characteristics of origin time: Origin time is not physical time in the traditional sense, but a dynamic structure that reveals the possibility of existence, which contains three interpenetrating dimensions: future (future), past (past) and present. Origin time is not an external passage of the subject, but an intrinsic component of the subject's mode of existence, which makes the existence of the being temporal.
Imagination as the embodiment of temporality: In Heidegger's view, imagination is no longer just a tool for connecting intuition and concept, but a manifestation of temporality itself. Imagination enables this being to transcend the intuitive limits of the immediate and project into future possibilities, preserving the experience of the past and revealing existence in the present. Therefore, imagination is the direct embodiment of the temporality of origin, which enables the being to participate in the flow of time and experience and understand the multidimensional aspects of existence.
B. Temporality and the way in which this exists
Heidegger analyzes the structure of being through temporality, deepening the discussion of the understanding of being.
Analysis of the existential structure of this being: Dasein refers to human existence in particular, and its essence lies in its mode of existence, that is, in the development of possibilities. Through existential analysis, Heidegger reveals the structure of the being, including the sinking of the everyday state, the true existence facing death, and the ability to understand and interpret the world. Together, these structures form the basis of this temporality.
The Role of Temporality in the Understanding of Existence: Temporality is not only the way of being, but also the key to understanding existence itself. It enables the being to transcend the limitations of the present, to open up to possibilities, to understand its own history and the end of the future (death), and to make an existential decision. Temporality is a prerequisite for the understanding of this being, and it guides how this being exists in the world and understands the world.
C. The place of the reconstructed imagination in epistemology
Heidegger's reconstruction not only deepens the understanding of imagination, but also changes the epistemological picture.
Complementing and transcending Kant's epistemological framework: Heidegger did not simply abandon Kant's schematic doctrine, but supplemented and transcended it from an ontological perspective. By equating imagination with temporality, he gives imagination a deeper ontological status in the epistemic process, beyond Kant's mere epistemological understanding of imagination as a bridge between intuition and concept.
A New Epistemological Vision: In Heidegger's conception, cognition is no longer merely a static grasp of phenomena by the intellect, but a dynamic temporal process, in which imagination, as the embodiment of temporality, enables us to participate in and reveal being. This epistemological picture emphasizes the subject's initiative and creativity in the process of knowing, as well as the close connection between knowledge and existence itself. By reconstructing the imagination, Heidegger paints a richer, more dynamic, and deeper epistemological picture that focuses not only on the acquisition of knowledge, but also on the exploration and understanding of the meaning of existence.
V. The schema of modal categories and this existential structure
A. Kant's Review of Modal Categories
In the Critique of Pure Reason, Kant proposes modal categories as a logical tool for understanding the empirical world, and these categories help us to organize and judge the nature of the content of experience.
Actuality, Possibility, and Necessity: Actuality refers to the state in which things actually exist, possibility refers to the state in which things can exist, and necessity refers to the property that things cannot exist without being so. These modal categories provide a framework for our judgments, distinguishing between reality, possibility, and necessity.
The function of schemas in the application of categories: Schemas are concepts proposed by Kant to solve the gap between ideas and intuition, they serve as intermediaries between intuition and concepts, so that categories can be applied to intuition, so that intellectual principles and perceptual materials can be harmonized. Schemas are the product of imaginative activity, through which abstract categories are concretized and applied to empirical objects.
B. Heidegger's Existential Interpretation
Heidegger places Kant's modal category within the framework of existentialism, giving it a whole new meaning.
A New Interpretation of Modal Categories in the Structure of Existentialism: In Heidegger's view, modal categories are no longer abstract logical tools, but are embedded in the concrete structure of existence in this being (human being). Reality, possibility, and necessity no longer merely describe the state of an objective object, but reveal the understanding and planning of the possibility of its own existence. For example, reality refers to the confirmation of the existence of the present in the present, and possibility is concerned with the openness and choice of the present in the future.
How temporality governs modal understanding: Heidegger argues that temporality is fundamental to understanding all modalities. In the dynamic structure of origin time, the past (was), present, and future are intertwined, providing a temporal context for the modal category. Reality is embodied in the legacy of the past and the affirmation of the present, the possibility is rooted in the openness of the future dimension, and the necessity is associated with the totality of time and its prescribing of the individual's mode of being.
C. Temporality and Practical Rationality in the Structure of Existentialism
Heidegger further explores the relationship between temporality and practical reason, revealing the origin-temporal basis behind action.
Temporality and Decision: Determination (Entschlossenheit) occupies a central place in the existence of the Being, and it is the choice made by the individual in the face of the possibility of existence. Heidegger argues that decisions take place within a temporal framework, a plan for the future, and at the same time are influenced by the past and limited by the current situation. Temporality provides a dynamic stage for decision-making, enabling individuals to position themselves in the rheology of origin time and make decisions with existential significance.
The Origin and Temporal Basis of Practical Reason: From Heidegger's perspective, practical reason is not an abstract system of rules detached from time, but is deeply rooted in this temporality. The rationality of practical rational behavior lies not only in following established norms, but also in whether individuals can make free and responsible choices based on a deep understanding of their own existential possibilities in the tension of time. Therefore, practical rationality fundamentally depends on the deep experience and understanding of temporality, and only in this way can the individual embody true freedom and rationality in the practice of existence. Through this analysis, Heidegger not only deepened his understanding of practical reason, but also provided a new philosophical foundation for ethics and action theory.
VI. Conclusion
Heidegger's work had a profound impact on philosophy, especially his reconstruction of transcendental imagination and origin time, which opened up a new path for the development of philosophical theory.
A profound change to traditional epistemology: Heidegger, through his transcendence of Kant, places epistemological issues within the framework of ontology, emphasizing the intrinsic connection between being and understanding. He not only redefines imagination and time, but also fundamentally changes our understanding of the process of knowledge formation, no longer focusing only on the static opposition between subject and object, but on the dynamic way in which the subject exists in temporality.
New Perspectives on Philosophy from an Ontological Perspective: Heidegger's ontological exploration provides a new perspective on philosophy, emphasizing that the existential mode of being and its temporality are fundamental to understanding all philosophical questions. This perspective prompted later philosophers to reconsider basic concepts such as truth, values, ethics, etc., opening up new fields and methods of philosophical research.
Author: Lu Xilin
Bibliography:
Kant, I. Critique of Pure Reason. (translated by P. Guyer and A.W. Wood). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1998.
Heidegger, M. Being and Time. (translated by J. Macquarrie & E. Robinson). New York: Harper & Row.
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