The Argument of the Antinomies Against the Middle View

Abstract

We have seen that in attempting a resolution of the antinomy over simplicity Kant was led to the anticipative notion of things as they appear in order to avoid the original second antithesis argument. Things as they appear at any stage of actual bisection or division contain a rule for further limitless division reaching or providing further things as they appear. Things as they appear in the course of proper ongoing division then do not form a finite totality. Nor, however, do they form an actually infinite totality. Since they are represented relative to the bisecting procedure, for them to form an infinite totality would require that the procedure itself be total as in

• (1) It is legitimate to Finish all bisecting: With respect to the things as they appear at any of those stages . . .¹

In (1) there is a total infinity of stages of the procedure and so a total infinity of things as they appear. But for Kant a total infinite procedure makes no sense and so cannot be proper or legitimate.