Transcendental Idealism & The Nature of Knowledge

“Space is merely a form of our intuition, that is, just a structure of our own minds imposed onto representations; it is not a property that exists independently of our minds and of our knowledge of them”    -Kant

According to Kant, space is basically just an illusion that is formed through synthetic apriori knowledge. It is necessary and universal, without exceptions. He goes on to prove this through a serious of geometric strategies which he also claims are synthetic apriori (something that is known without experience). I will not go further into explaining his premise, I shall now question it.

Agreeing with this thesis, humans then are extremely powerful creatures who pretty much have the whole universe in the palm of their hands. If something as wondrous as space only and absolutely exists in our own minds, then it is to say that we hold the key to the universe. Kant’s thesis, in my opinion, gives an omniscient power to us as humans… claiming that we are what creates space. Agreeing with this at first was hard for me to do, I mean who off the back believes that they are the creators of space? But after long hours of contemplation, I began to wrap my head around this as a possibility. Think about it, the percentage of people who have actually traveled into space and have a clear and concise image of it are few and scarce. Most of us just never really consider what it “truly” looks like… which almost goes to say that maybe some of us do not have a “space”? I do not believe there is an “in between opinion” here. Those who rely on images they find on the internet of what space supposedly looks like are beings with no knowledge at all. Either you know it for how you see it (in your mind without outside input), or you know it through ampliative knowledge (which objectifies the knowledge that space is apriori knowledge). So basically, space is only in existence through your imagination, for lack of a better word.. it is was you “think up” if you will.

Now, we have not considered a few objections in Kant’s thesis –> being that this claim is based off of geometrical apriori knowledge (assuming that it is actually apriori), one can question if geometry is actually ampliative knowledge. Geometrical equations can be known, but in order to understand them, one must use strategy and experimentation. It is not something that stands alone through definition of a word in itself, it must be proven. Considering this to be true, then Kant has based his argument off of a foundation that is not absolutely true and causes the argument to fall through. The one exception I can claim to help his argument live, is to consider that there are geometrical solutions that solely and independently exist in themselves, without any necessity of experimentation. I am not a mathematician so I am not claiming that this is a definite possiblilty, I am only bringing to light that it might be a way to keep this argument going.

On another objectifying perspective, to claim that space is not actually a thing in itself is something that I do not think Kant can prove. There is a possibility that space can be synthetic apriori knowledge AND exist as a thing in itself! Ponder this statement for instance: EVERYTHING in this world is actualized by space. Everything has somewhere to be, even if it is not visible (i.e. air, love, scent) but we know that it is present. Therefore, if space IS NOT a thing in itself, if it is something that is just created and thought of in our own minds, we can surely say that NOTHING REALLY EXISTS. Everything would just be perspective because everyone would have the power to see things for themselves, without any external imput. This leads one to believe that everything we are “seeing” is just an illusion and only real to ourself and no one else.

Having stated this, I then can not understand how we, as beings living only in ourselves and with our own knowledge, can come to agreements on certain things. What I mean is, how can we all agree that a banana is yellow? Or that a strawberry is red? How can we all be trapped in the same illusion?! This then introduces to us a new dilemma worth contemplating: How things are in themselves (actually) vs. How things appear to us (images we create for things). What if a banana, considering it is something solely in itself, is actually 24 inches long and neon pink? Yet we allude and create an imaginary image of it being yellow and no longer than 6 inches? This can lead one to believe that all of the human civilization is actually mad and knowledge-less.

If all we know is what we create ourself (considering the banana example)… then how much do we/can we ever even REALLY KNOW?! And to make things more confusing, if we as beings in ourself have complete and total power over everything spacial, why do we not have the ability to create an ideal utopian society? Why can we not create an illusion that we are millionaires and actually feel it? Yet we can an allusion that a banana is yellow and believe it?

– Truth Seeker

Image Credit to WeHeartIt.com

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Is Existence Even Attainable?

Although one might view this as a minimalistic question with a simplistic answer, I beg to differ.

On countless occasions, I find myself feeling as if I do not have a place in this world. Not because I am an outsider, not because I haven’t experienced success, love, or happiness (because I have), but because how humans seem to reside complacently in this place we call Earth. It is a rare occasion that I ever see anyone doing anything to better the land we walk on… or even treat it with respect. It is all too easy to toss that empty Starbucks cup or gum wrapper out of the window (I mean who likes a dirty car), but we never stop to realize the long term damage this has in effect to our home. Unless someone is ordered to perform community service through picking up trash off the side of the road, we hardly ever see people actually cleaning because they truly want to. Now, I am not saying that there is absolutely NO ONE out there that does not clean up  with the goodness of their hearts, I am simply stating that the numbers are definitely drastically different between the two. Although I began with speaking of pollution, there are many other ways humans dis-envolve themselves with this planet. Probably too many to cover in just one sitting.

Routines are something that almost every living being or animal… or even plant follow in today’s society. This in my opinion is where we as a civilization have began to die. Unless one has distinctfully achieved an amazing routine that they follow, not for the betterment of themselves, but for the world.. than this said routine is nothing but a complacent waste of space and time. I am not by any means saying that achieving this is easy (it is actually close to impossible) but I do hope to raise some attention to this dreadful problem with my words and warning.

In today’s time, it is extremely unfortunate the cards that too many of us are dealt. Poverty, homeless, starvation, sickness, and being unloved are just a few struggles that humans, animals, and plants all deal with in different ways and at different times. These now external objectifying problems force us to constrain our minds and bodies to this every day routine of “surviving”. Although the common misconception of the word surviving generally causes people to infer that existence is only possible through survival… this is the wrong way to think. As I speak words, I want them to only mean what they should within themselves; please do not attach other meanings or definitions to my words, then it will definitely be impossible for one to hear my woes. Now that we have agreed to leave words as just words… let me continue.

In the first place, beings need to stop allowing themselves to be put in this position of even feeling the need to “survive”. If we would have fought back against the development of a capitalistic society America has become today, we would definitely not feel the need to survive, it would just be implemented as something thats already attached to us as humans (like the ability to see for example). We do not need to try and see, we just see. That battle was unfortunately lost way back in the late 1700s as remarkable figures like Karl Marx predicted and warned us against… of course the great U.S. did not heath this warning. I will not spend any more unnecessary time on a loss that seems almost impossible to change now, but I only mentioned it so one can understand when this problem began to arise.

If we stop feeling the need to “survive” and start placing that need towards existing, I believe humanity would see a change in the world today. If we all began to symphonically understand what it truly means to exist, not only to ones self, but as a whole… this routine based complacency would soon see an end. How can humans be so arrogant to claim existence onto a space where they are not even placing effort to bettering? That is like claiming you have tried everything to save your marriage and don’t understand how you are now in the middle of a divorce while texting your lustful lover you will be ready for dinner at 7. You see, we naturally as humans have arrogance instilled in us. We want to believe that we have done EVERYTHING possible to make the world a better place. When in all reality, all that has been done is a sad, empty, half-ass attempt at making some money to spend at the movie theatre. Wow, thats really going to make the world a better place.

Existence is an honor, a mind blowing mystery on how the first being was placed on this Earth… and I do not feel like as a society we have worked hard enough to be able to use that word as a part of our realilty. No, we do not exist, for if we did  there would be more change in society; riots, protests, sit-ins would be occurring against this capitalistic complacent world we live in. Instead of worrying about making money for gas, food, and trips… focus needs to be shifted to problems within the environment and human society as a whole (i.e. equality, not what outfit to wear tonight). As humans, we hold such a strong ability to change the cards that we have been dealt, unlike the plant or animal… WE HAVE A VOICE. We just need to learn to start using it, and make sure we are using it loud enough to be heard.

Honestly I ask the question Is Existence Even Attainable hopeful that one day (far into the future) we can all say yes… and truly KNOW it.

– Truth Seeker

Photo credit to Corina Chirila 

–> Theory of Perception <–

Perception: a process of the consciousness of an object; the ability to see, hear, or become aware of something through the senses.

The idea of perception is something that I constantly ponder… what shapes our perception internally and externally? I say this because each and every human being instantly forms a perception about almost everything in this world… even on things out of this world like outer space and so on. Now, just because we shape this personal perception doesn’t mean that we then necessarily share this perception with anyone other than ourselves. Why do we sometimes tend to internalize these perceptions? Fear of judgment, dismissal, rejection, disagreement, and several other factors. (I will refrain from giving an example to assure not to offend any being) Now, although it kind of seems like having and forming perceptions is almost instinctual and uncontrollable, I believe that the bases of how we create them can be changed and even made formidable.

Racism, Social Classes, Money, Religion, and Educational Backgrounds are all factors that we take into account after the first impression. After we meet someone or see something for the first time (with no insight about the being or object) we instantly tend to focus on physical garbage like beauty, style, scent, and shape i.e. someone’s fitness or an objects form. Even though we like to think that our first impressions are always spot on and ideal, I like to bring out the point that this is not and could never be the case. Why? Well because as a being, we have all at one point in life gone to an interview (wether it be for a job, school admittance, or some form of governmental assistance) and purposely or impurposely “played the part”. What I mean is, we instantly conform ourselves to what we think the interviewee wants/needs to see to make a positive choice after the fact. We all want that acceptance in the end… even if it means lying.

So, said human is awarded the job, assistance,or admittance (whatever the case may be) and they quickly began to go back to their “true self”. Sometimes this “true self” is really no different from the “role playing self” and at times, maybe the interviewee won’t even regret their decision. BUT, most of the time, the “true self” is always a disappointment to the interviewee, and they quickly began to realize “Oh, this person is one of those that are really good at interviews, but then lack in the actual job skills”. I am not trying to put us down as beings by any means, but I am sort of creating a wake up call. If this position is truly important to said being, why should we have to conform and disguise our True Self because of fear of rejection? Why do humans seek for short term pleasure instead of long term rewards? Like “I really do not want to work at McDonalds, but I really need to make rent this month. So i’ll just say what I have to say to get the spot, then quit as soon as the rent is paid.” This is nothing but a form of quick fix & said human being will only be in the same predicament later down the line.

Perception is extremely powerful, and we as beings have the power to really be whoever we want to be in any situation that may arise. My point and advice here though, is to always be yourself… and even if others perceive this “true self” as unworthy, no good, and ugly; then maybe through time they will realize that their perception was dead wrong. They will be the ones stuck in a negative, repetitive, problematic routine. You, on the other hand, will be at peace with your True Self, moving forever forward, and never looking back.

-Truth Seeker

Photo Credit to Whitney E. Adair