Nevertheless there is undoubtedly contained in the judgement of taste
a wider reference of the representation of the Object (as well as of
the subject), whereon we base an extension of judgements of this kind
as necessary for every one. At the basis of this there must necessarily
be a concept somewhere; though a concept which cannot be determined
through intuition. But through a concept of this sort we know nothing,
and consequently it can _supply no proof_ for the judgement of taste.
Such a concept is the mere pure rational concept of the supersensible
which underlies the object (and also the subject judging it), regarded
as an Object of sense and thus as phenomenon.[100] For if we do
not admit such a reference, the claim of the judgement of taste to
universal validity would not hold good. If the concept on which it is
based were only a mere confused concept of the Understanding, like that
of perfection, with which we could bring the sensible intuition of the
Beautiful into correspondence, it would be at least possible in itself
to base the judgement of taste on proofs; which contradicts the thesis.
But all contradiction disappears if I say: the judgement of taste is
based on a concept (viz. the concept of the general ground of the
subjective purposiveness of nature for the Judgement); from which,
however, nothing can be known and proved in respect of the Object,
because it is in itself undeterminable and useless for knowledge. Yet
at the same time and on that very account the judgement has validity
for every one (though of course for each only as a singular judgement
immediately accompanying his intuition); because its determining ground
lies perhaps in the concept of that which may be regarded as the
supersensible substrate of humanity.
The solution of an antinomy only depends on the possibility of showing
that two apparently contradictory propositions do not contradict
one another in fact, but that they may be consistent; although the
explanation of the possibility of their concept may transcend our
cognitive faculties. That this illusion is natural and unavoidable
by human Reason, and also why it is so, and remains so, although it
ceases to deceive after the analysis of the apparent contradiction, may
be thus explained.
In the two contradictory judgements we take the concept, on which the
universal validity of a judgement must be based, in the same sense; and
yet we apply to it two opposite predicates. In the Thesis we mean that
the judgement of taste is not based upon _determinate_ concepts; and
in the Antithesis that the judgement of taste is based upon a concept,
but an _indeterminate_ one (viz. of the supersensible substrate of
phenomena). Between these two there is no contradiction.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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