PhD ceremony Mr. J.T. Zinkstok: Kant’s anatomy of logic. Method and logic in the critical philosophy

PhD ceremony: Mr. J.T. Zinkstok, 14.30 uur, Academiegebouw, Broerstraat 5, Groningen

Dissertation: Kant’s anatomy of logic. Method and logic in the critical philosophy

Promotor(s): prof. D.H.K. Pätzold, prof. L.W. Nauta

Faculty: Philosophy

Job Zinkstok’s dissertation presents historical research into Kant’s conception of logic, and in particular the way in which Kant distinguishes various kinds of logic. Kant criticizes the logicians of his day for treating all kinds of topics that do not belong in logic, like psychology, epistemology and metaphysics. Kant is one of the first to distinguish strictly various kinds of logic, and designating one of them as the core logical discipline, stripping it of all the topics that do not belong to it. Zinkstok shows this development, and tries to understand better the distinctions Kant makes.

He also tries to clarify how Kant understood the various logical disciplines he distinguished. Kant’s tree of logic concerns the following disciplines. In the first place pure general logic: the core of logic containing rules for concepts, judgements and syllogisms, which is valid for thought about all kinds of objects. Secondly, particular logics, logics that are valid only for a particular kind of objects. Zinkstok deals specifically with the particular logic of mathematics. In the third place, applied logic, a logic containing rules that help avoiding mistakes caused by psychological factors, such as prejudice. Fourth, transcendental logic, a logic that for Kant constitutes the core of his philosophical project, providing rules for the way in which reality (in particular, objects) are structured.