Most philosophers prior to Kant assumed that objects exist as we perceive them. However, they also acknowledged that these objects existed independently of us or that they existed in space and time. This was the type of “common sense realism” that dominated philosophical thought to some extent prior to Kant.
However, with Kant an earth shattering shift occurred.
Kant realized that this could not possibly be correct. He argued that all of the ways we have of perceiving objects, things such as sight, sound, touch, taste, small, cannot exist independently of the nervous systems. He also realized that all of the ways we have of thinking about things cannot exist independently of our nervous systems. These “ways of thinking” are actually “ways of thinking” in that they are systems dependent in a sense. Each object which we observe and contemplate is sense dependent and also mind dependent. Thinking cannot occur without brains and seeing cannot take placer with eyes according to Kantian conclusions.
Kant argued that for objects to have the impact on our senses, these objects must actually exist as the cause of this sensory stimulation. In short, Kant had confidence in the scientific worldview had developed before and was developing around him at the time.
He believed in the validity of the scientific project on the basis of two conclusions.
First, he believed in the validity of direct observation since by this method repeated in a systematic fashion by the individual and checked by others reliable data concerning the physical world is gathered and established.
He also believed in the validity of logical deduction from observation statements which had been arrived at through the method of direct observation. Science was established firmly upon immediate observation combined with logic.
This combination yielded the greatest certainty to scientific conclusions.
However, a shift was about to occur for Kant.
