• Ramesh Dheeravath

Kant’s idea of Substance cannot be as simple as earlier philosophers were described. Leibniz once wrote, "I believe that the consideration of substance is one of the most important and fruitful points in philosophy." Kant, for all his disagreement with Leibniz, agrees with him about this. The most important passage for understanding Kant's critical period doctrine of substance is the First Analogy in the Critique of Pure Reason. In this paper I wish to examine the First Analogy, with particular attention to the question of what Kant is proposing as the schema of substance. After setting out what I take to be the twofold goal of the First Analogy and what Kant means by 'substance', I will give an interpretation of the argument of the First Analogy. My starting point for constructing this interpretation will be the deservedly influential interpretation given by Arthur Melnick in Kant's Analogies of Experience. Melnick's interpretation will be subjected to criticism, both exegetical and philosophical, and a new interpretation will be offered, partially based on an argument given by Melnick but which, surprisingly, he does not attribute to Kant. I will then turn to focus on Kant's proposal for the schema of substance, arguing that even if Kant can successfully establish a controversial sub conclusion of the First Analogy, that all change is alteration, his schema of substance is inadequate: either he fails to establish that the schema of substance is satisfied by appearances, or he fails give adequate conditions for the applicability of the category of substance.

Substance, Knowable, Unknowable,metaphysics, noumena,Phenomena.

"Metaphysics of Substance: the Unknown and Unknowable - A Kant’s Critique", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.5, Issue 7, page no.124-138, July-2018, Available :http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR1807739.pdf

"Metaphysics of Substance: the Unknown and Unknowable - A Kant’s Critique", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org | UGC and issn Approved), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.5, Issue 7, page no. pp124-138, July-2018, Available at : http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR1807739.pdf