General Philosophy 2.7 Overview: Kant and Modern Science
Apr 8, 2010
The transition from medieval to modern philosophy showcases a clash between religious beliefs and emerging secular thought. Kant challenges Hume's views on human nature and knowledge acquisition. The conversation shifts to the mind-bending implications of quantum mechanics, exploring wave-particle duality and the perplexing effects of measurement on light. These discussions provoke deeper questions about free will and personal identity in the context of scientific advancements.
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
Hume's Modernity and Religious Concerns
- Hume's philosophy resonates with the modern predicament of viewing humans within the natural world.
- Early modern philosophy grappled with religious concerns amidst changing views on humanity and the universe.
Science, Reality, and Human Existence
- Modern science, like early modern philosophy, grapples with the gap between reality and perception.
- Questions of free will and personal identity arise if humans are purely physical beings governed by physical laws.
Kant's Response to Hume
- Kant believed certain truths, like universal causation and Euclidean geometry, were knowable through pure reason.
- He argued our minds shape our perception, allowing a priori knowledge of the phenomenal world.
