The Root of the Epistemological Problem of the Connection of the Rational Principle to the External World in the Rationalists of the Early Modern Period - Descartes, Leibniz and Du Châtelet

近代早期理性主义者理性原则与外部世界联系的认识论问题的根源——笛卡尔、莱布尼茨和杜夏特莱

• 批准号: 412596343
• 负责人: Dr. Clara Carus
• 金额: --
• 依托单位: Fach Philosophie
• 依托单位国家: 德国
• 项目类别: Research Fellowships
• 财政年份: 2018
• 资助国家: 德国
• 起止时间: 2017-12-31 至 2020-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://gepris.dfg.de/gepris/projekt/412596343?language=en
• 关键词: Root; Epistemological; Problem; Connection; Rational

In my research project I wish to investigate the root of a problem that arose in the foundation of knowledge based on a rational principle. The problem comes to light in Kant, i.e. in the question of how the content of sensibility is to be thought together with an internal principle which founds knowledge. Yet the actual root of the problem lies in the rationalists of the Early Modern Era, namely in Descartes and Leibniz. If indubitable knowledge is to be founded on a universal inner principle, in separation from sensibility, the question necessarily then arises (which the rationalists themselves pose) as to how the content of sensibility is to enter into the principle of knowledge. In other words: how is knowledge founded on a rational principle to serve as knowledge of an exterior world or of an object dependent on that world. The problem is precarious, insofar as it simultaneously puts the rationalistic point of departure into question; namely of founding knowledge on a general inner principle. My research project is to cast new light on the problem by introducing a philosopher, Émilie du Châtelet, who has until now been neglected in precisely this context. As with Descartes and Leibniz, she also founds knowledge on a rational principle, yet she simultaneously emphasises the value of experiential knowledge for science and philosophy. With her concept of time she goes beyond her own rational principle and founds it on a reflection of its idea, which takes into account our knowledge of the exterior world through sensibility. Du Châtelet’s concept of time therefore provides the point of departure for this project, by tugging at the root of the problem of the connection between the rational principle and the exterior world in the rationalists of the Early Modern Era. My proposed research is of particular interest today since the problem was never fully solved, and I purport to have found in Du Châtelet a key to initiating a solution to the problem without falling back on an empirical premise.

在我的研究项目中，我希望调查基于理性原则的知识基础中出现的问题的根源。这个问题在康德那里得到了揭示，即如何将感性的内容与建立知识的内在原则一起思考的问题。然而问题的真正根源在于近代早期的理性主义者，即笛卡尔和莱布尼茨。如果不容置疑的知识要建立在与感性分离的普遍内在原则之上，那么必然会出现这样的问题（理性主义者自己提出的）：感性的内容如何进入知识的原则。换句话说：知识如何建立在理性原则的基础上，作为外部世界或依赖于该世界的对象的知识。这个问题是不稳定的，因为它同时使理性主义的出发点受到质疑。即在一般的内在原则上建立知识。我的研究项目是通过介绍一位哲学家埃米莉·杜·夏特莱（Émilie du Châtelet）来为这个问题提供新的视角，而迄今为止，他在这一背景下一直被忽视。与笛卡尔和莱布尼茨一样，她也在理性原则上建立知识，但她同时强调经验知识对科学和哲学的价值。她的时间概念超越了自己的理性原则，并将其建立在对其观念的反映之上，该观念考虑了我们通过感性对外部世界的认识。因此，杜夏特莱的时间概念为这个项目提供了出发点，通过探究近代早期理性主义者的理性原则与外部世界之间的联系问题的根源。我提出的研究在今天特别令人感兴趣，因为这个问题从未完全解决，而且我声称在杜夏特莱身上找到了启动解决问题的关键，而不需要依赖于经验前提。