Eric Watkins

Eric Watkins教授是国际知名的康德专家，加州大学杰出教授（UC Distinguished Professor）。他1994年于美国圣母大学取得博士学位，其后分别在弗吉尼亚州立大学、耶鲁大学和加州大学圣迭戈分校等地任教。他2005年出版的专著《康德与因果作用的形而上学》是近几十年来对相关问题最全面、最深入的研究，在康德学界引发了强烈反响，并获美国《哲学史杂志》颁发的图书奖。此外，他还编辑并翻译了《康德<纯粹理性批判>的背景资料》、《康德的自然科学著作》，主编了多部康德研究的高水平论文集，并发表了数十篇研究论文。Watkins教授曾获德国洪堡学者奖、加州大学圣迭戈分校杰出教学奖等奖励，并曾长期担任北美康德学会副主席。

讲座简介

1、Kant on the Unconditioned

    In “Kant on the Unconditioned”, I argue that the principle Kant identifies as the Supreme Principle of Reason, if properly understood, is neither false nor unjustified, as is typically thought, but rather a principle that one should accept on the basis of a compelling argument. In this paper I describe the Supreme Principle, clarify its meaning, reconstruct the argument that supports it, and show how one can understand how it can be false if applied to appearances in the wrong way. As a result, according to this interpretation, the transcendental illusion that tempts metaphysicians to draw their mistaken conclusions is based not in the fact that the Supreme Principle is false, but rather in the improper use that is made of it.   

2、Kant’s Criticism of Metaphysics

    In “Kant’s Criticism of Metaphysics”, I argue for an original reading of one line of argument that Kant uses against the claims of traditional metaphysics. Specifically, while Kant may have a number of reasons for thinking that we cannot cognize the objects of traditional metaphysics (God, the immortality of the soul, and the world as a totality), I argue that he also thinks that we cannot relate the concepts to these objects in the way that is required for cognition because we are unable to show that the properties that constitute the being of these objects could be exhibited in such a way that we could be aware of them. In short, if cognition must render intelligible the being of objects that we can be aware of, then Kant is arguing that we are unable to achieve this kind of understanding for God, freedom, and the immortality of the soul.