The Possibility of Metaphysics in Averroes and Kant

Ashraf Hassan Mansour

Associate Professor, Department of Philosophy, University of Alexandria

Abstract

Kant denied the possibility of Metaphysics as a Science, depending on his distinction between Phenomena and Noumena, and on his theory of knowledge that states that the legitimate science is based on sensual intuition and empirical experience. On those bases Kant stated that Metaphysical objects (Soul, World, God) are not accessible to sense perception nor subject to experience. He dealt with the three pseudo-sciences of Metaphysics as Transcendental Illusions, that is Rational Psychology, Rational Cosmology, and Rational Theology. He judged that the inferences in those sciences are dialectical, and described the modes of thinking in them as paralogisms, antinomies, and Illusory inferences respectively. Whereas Kant’s critique of Metaphysics comes close to Averroes’ critique of Kalam’s metaphysical-dialectical arguments, especially to Averroes’ critique of the fallacious inference of the unknown based on the known, Averroes’ position regarding the possibility of Metaphysics differed completely from Kant’s.

Averroes defended the scientific status of Metaphysics by arguing for the immanence of the separate substances in empirical reality, the unity of Metaphysics and Natural Science regarding their method and their subject matter, differing only in questions and problems, and by extending causality and natural necessity to the celestial realm. Above all, Averroes succeeded in differentiating between Dialectics and the Demonstrative method in Metaphysics, and in pointing out the cause of error in metaphysical investigations. What seems as a dialectical character of metaphysical problems is due to mixing common unexamined beliefs with primary statements, and putting religious doctrines that have only practical purpose as targets for demonstration, mixing thereby scientific investigation with practical purposes. Whereas Kant reduced all metaphysics to dialectics and regarded every metaphysical quest as dialectical by nature, Averroes distinguished clearly between them and pointed to the suitable role of dialectics within metaphysical investigation, that is, in correcting the erroneous opinions before entering to metaphysical investigation.