Understanding Mind and Knowledge: From Descartes to Kant

Posted on Feb 21, 2025 in Philosophy and ethics

Psychological Theory: The DELA Topology of Mind

This theory is the first to develop a DELA Topology of Mind, setting the mind as a space to analyze. It posits at least two parts: cogito ergo sum (consciousness) and a space to fill with knowledge. There is a psychological, metaphysical fact that proves existence, leading to solipsism. To overcome this, one must fill the other part with knowledge, paving the way for psychology as a science.

Physical Theory: Res Cogitans and Res Extensa

After defining the concept of mind, the theory introduces the concept of RES to represent the world.

Difference Between Res Cogitans and Res Extensa

Res cogitans refers to the concepts of our mind (ideas), while res extensa refers to physical things, which have extension.

These two concepts are described as finite, as is God (according to Progressive Sto. Thomas). Descartes establishes God as infinite, emphasizing God’s distance from man.

Three Types of Res Cogitans

  1. ADVENTICIAS: Ideas formed through outer experience (induction).
  2. FACTICIAS: The mix of imagination (combining images) and will (deduction).
  3. INNATAS: Ideas included in our minds, such as perfection.

This argument is called the PROOF OF THE EXISTENCE OF GOD (St. Anselm’s ontological argument) and is used to demonstrate the concept of infinity.

Kant and the Victory of Reason

Kant concludes the illustrated concept, leaving a legacy that continues to this day.

The Enlightenment can be defined as the new ideological realm of reason. Kant’s two major works are:

Critique of Pure Reason (KRP)

The KRP has three parts, each with an introduction:

Introduction

Kant raises the question: Is metaphysics possible as a science?

He believed in metaphysics but wanted to determine if metaphysical principles are scientific, aiming to distinguish learned knowledge from superstition.

Metaphysics encompasses all the sciences.

Requirements for a Science

Kant defines three requirements for a science:

  1. UNIVERSAL: Always valid, like laws (trials).
  2. REQUIRED: Always necessary, the opposite of quota.
  3. PROGRESSIVE: Expands information, not just increases it, as progressions may limit.

Types of Trials

Kant identifies two types of trials:

Trial Analytical

In this trial, the predicate (action) is included in the subject (deduction). This is not scientific because it meets the first and second requirements but not the third (it is not progressive). Only analytic judgments are discarded as science.

Trials Synthetic

In this trial, the predicate is not involved in the subject; it is induction. This is not scientific because, like a volcano, it will always be progressive (3rd), but not universal (1st) and necessary (2nd).

Synthetic Judgments POST

These are done after experience, based on an infinite number of experiences, such as a blood test.

Synthetic A Priori Judgments

Kant discovers something new. Consider the statement: “The line is the shortest distance between two points.”

  1. It is not an analytical trial because the predicate is not contained in the notion of the subject.
  2. It is not a subsequent trial because we know its truth without having to measure distances between two points without resorting to any experience supporting evidence.

Contrary to Hume and all forms of empiricism, Kant admits that there are synthetic judgments a priori.

The synthetic a priori judgments establish validity and are known independently of experience. The predicate does not have to be implicit in the subject. To be progressive, it has to be synthetic.