A Comparative Study of the Epistemological Foundations of the Critique of Metaphysics in the Philosophical Thoughts of Kant and Carnap

Document Type : Research Paper

Author

Associate Professor, Department of Political Science, Mohaghegh Ardabili University, Iran

Abstract

Metaphysics has a long-standing history in philosophy. Although it does not date back as far as philosophy itself, it has always been a fundamental part of philosophical systems and is regarded as "first philosophy", the highest domain of rational knowledge. At times, metaphysics has been considered synonymous with philosophy, addressing fundamental questions about the essence and reality of things, or pure being. However, as intellectual developments have progressed, metaphysics has faced serious criticism and even outright rejection. Immanuel Kant and Rudolf Carnap, two prominent philosophers from distinct philosophical traditions, adopted critical stances toward metaphysics, resulting in profound transformations within this field. Kant, through his Copernican Revolution and his distinction between analytic/synthetic propositions and a priori/a posteriori concepts, examined the conditions under which metaphysics could be considered possible. In contrast, Carnap, a leading figure of the Vienna Circle, developed theories on analytic/synthetic judgments and their relationship to experience, establishing an epistemological framework that dismissed metaphysical propositions as meaningless. This article seeks to address the following questions: Which aspects of Kant’s philosophy revitalized philosophical thought and influenced Carnap and the logical positivism of the Vienna Circle? How did Kant critique and redefine metaphysics? How did Kant’s rationalist philosophy shape the empiricism of the logical positivists? A comparison of these two philosophers’ perspectives reveals that Carnap drew significant inspiration from Kant’s philosophy. Nevertheless, a fundamental difference exists between them: Kant sought to liberate metaphysics from its traditional framework and redefine it in a scientific and rigorous manner. In contrast, Carnap, emphasizing empiricism and dismissing metaphysics as futile, aimed to abolish it entirely and pave the way for the scientific advancement of human knowledge.

Keywords

Main Subjects

References

Abdolkarimi, B. (2008). Heidegger's Interpretation of Kant's Critique of Pure Reason: Comparing Ontological and Epistemological Interpretations, Ketab-e Mah: Philosophy, 1(12), 26-37. (in persian)
Aristotle (2009). Metaphysics, trans. SH. Khorasani, Hekmat Publications. (in Persian)
Arthur Burt, E. (2003). The Metaphysical Foundations of Modern Sciences, trans. A. Soroush, Scientific and Cultural Publishing Company. (in Persian)
Arthur, P. (1958). Semantic and Necessary Truth. Yale University Press.
Byrne, J. (1997). Religion and the Enlightenment: From Descartes to Kant, M. Westminster & J. Knox Press.
Carnap, R. (1934). On the Character of Philosophic Problems, Philosophy of Science, 1(1), 5–19.
Carnap, R. (1935). Philosophy and logical syntax, AMS Press.
Carnap, R. (1978). The Overcoming of Metaphysics through Logical Analysis of Language in Michael Murray and Heidegger and Modern philosophy critical essays, Yale University Press.
Carnap, R. (2004). The Elimination of Metaphysics Through Logical Analysis of Language: In Alfred Jules Ayer (ed.), Logical Positivism. Westport, Conn. Greenwood Press. pp. 60-81
Carnap, R. (2004). The Overcoming of Metaphysics: In Logical Positivism, trans. B. Khoramshahi, 3rd ed, Scientific and Cultural Publishing Company.
Carnap, R. (2006). Philosophy and Logical Syntax, trans. R. Mosmer, 1st edition, Markaz Publishing. (in Persian)
Carnap, R. (2009). Philosophical Foundations of Physics: An Introduction to the Philosophy of Science, trans. Y. Afifi, 3rd edition, Niloufar Publications. (in Persian)
Cassirer, E. (1991). Philosophy of Enlightenment, trans. Y. Moqen, Niloufar Publications. (in Persian)
Creath, R. (1993). Carnap, Quine and The Rejection of Intuition, in Perspectives on Quine; edit. R. Gibson & R. Barret, Blackwell.
Foulkieh, P. (2007). General Philosophy, trans. Y. Mahdavi, University of Tehran. (in Persian)
Ghavam-Safari, M. (2007). How Metaphysics Is Possible? Fekr-e Rooz Publications. (in Persian)
Hartnock, J. (1968). Kant's Theory of Knowledge, trans G. A. Haddad Adel, Hermes Publications. (in Persian)
Hudson, D. (1999). Ludwig Wittgenstein, trans. M. Malekian, Gros Publications. (in Persian)
Hume, D. (1983). An Inquiry Concerning Human Understanding, trans. M. Bozorgmehr, Center for Scientific and Cultural Publications. (in Persian)
Jules Ayer (ed.). Logical positivism, trans. B. Khoramshahi, 3rd edition, Scientific and Cultural Publishing Company. (in Persian)
Kant, I. (1983). Critique of Pure Reason, Trans. N. K. Smith, The Macmillan Co.
Kant, I. (1996). Critique of Pure Reason, Trans. W. S. Pluhar, Unified Edition, Hackett Publishing Company Inc.
Kant, I. (2004). Prolegomena to Any Future Metaphysics, trans. G. A. Haddad Adel, 2nd edition, University Publishing Center. (in Persian)
Koerner, S. (1990). Kant, trans. E. Fooladvand, 2nd edition, Kharazmi Publication. (in Persian)
Lacoste, J. (1978). Philosophy in the Twentieth Century, trans. R. Davari Ardakani, Organization for the Study and Compilation of Islamic Texts Publications.
Miller, J. (2022). Metaphysical Realism and Anti-Realism, Cambridge University Press.
Naess, A. (1968). Four Modern Philosophers: Carnap, Wittgenstein, Heidegger, Sartre, trans. M. Bozorgmehr, Kharazmi Publications. (in Persian)
Omid, M. (2008). Outline of a Philosophical Dialogue; Questions of Shahid Motahari and Answers of Kant, Naqed va Nazar, 13(49-50), pp. 127-175. (in Persian)
Reichenbach, H. (2005). Rise of Scientific Philosophy, trans M. Akrami, 2nd edition, Scientific and Cultural Publishing. (in Persian)
Soroush, A. (2003). What is Science? Serat Cultural Institute. (in Persian)
Soroush, A. (2009). Philosophical Science, Serat Cultural Institute. (in Persian)
Weinberg, R. (1936). An Examination of Logical Positivism, Cornell University Pub.
White, Alan R. (1987). Methods of Metaphysics, trans. I. Rahmati, Hekmat Publications. (in Persian)
Wittgenstein, L. (2002). Tractatus Logico-Philosophic us, Trans. D. F. Pears & B. F. McGuinness with an introduction by Bertrand Russell, Taylor & Francis e-Library, Routledge & Kegan Paul.
Send comment about this article
CAPTCHA Image

Files

Share

How to cite

Statistics