[21] This expectation is confirmed by Kant's view that
judgement introduces unity into a plurality by means of a
conception. This view leads us to expect that different forms
of judgement--if there be any--will be distinguished by the
different conceptions through which they unify the plurality;
for it will naturally be the different conceptions involved
which are responsible for the different kinds of unity
effected.
[22] B. 106, M. 64.
Kant, however, makes no attempt to show that each form of judgement
distinguished by Formal Logic involves a special conception. In fact,
his view is that the activities of thought studied by Formal Logic do
not originate or use any special conceptions at all. For his actual
deduction of the categories[23] is occupied in showing that although
thought, when exercised under the conditions under which it is studied
by Formal Logic, does not originate and use conceptions of its own, it
is able under certain other conditions to originate and use such
conceptions, i. e. categories.[24] Hence if we attend only to the
professed procedure of the deduction, we are compelled to admit that
the deduction not only excludes any use of the 'clue' to the
categories, supposed to be furnished by Formal Logic, but even fails
to deduce them at all. For it does not even nominally attempt to
discover the categories in detail, but reverts to the prior task of
showing merely that there are categories. Doubtless Kant thinks that
the forms of judgement formulated by Formal Logic in some way
_suggest_ the conceptions which become operative in thought under
these other conditions. Nevertheless, it is impossible to see how
these forms of judgement can suggest these conceptions, unless they
actually presuppose them.
It is clear, however, that the professed link[25] between the forms of
judgement and the categories does not represent the actual process by
which Kant reached his list of categories; for he could never have
reached any list of categories by an argument which was merely
directed to show that there are categories. Moreover, an inspection of
the list shows that he actually reached it partly by noticing the
conceptions which the forms of judgement seemed to presuppose, and
partly by bearing in mind the general conceptions underlying physics
which it was his ultimate aim to vindicate. Since this is the case,
and since the categories can only be connected with the forms of
judgement by showing that they are presupposed in them, the proper
question to be considered from the point of view of the metaphysical
deduction is simply whether the forms of judgement really presuppose
the categories.[26]
[23] B. 102-5, M. 62-3.
[24] Cf. p. 166.
[25] B. 102-5, M. 62-3.