DEBATE: Response to McWherter. Issue 5 (October 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Assiter, Alison
• Is Part Of: Journal of critical realism. Volume 14:Issue 5(2015)
• Page Start: 508
• Page End: 517
• Publication Date: 2015-10
• Subjects: appearance -- empirical realism -- Kant -- noumena -- ontology; Critical realism -- Periodicals; Réalisme critique; 149.205
• DOI: 10.1179/1476743015Z.00000000080
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1476-7430

Abstract

Abstract : This contribution to a debate with Dustin McWherter evaluates his claim that Kant is a 'non-ontologist' or an 'anti-ontologist' and challenges one specific consequence which McWherter argues follows from this attribution to Kant. I argue that, while it is true that Kant restricts the domain of 'objects' or 'appearances' as he calls them to what is knowable, this does not make him an 'anti-ontologist'.