Kant and modern physics—The synthetic a priori and the distinction between modal function and entity

Abstract

In order to appreciate the meaning of Kant's concern for the synthetic a priori a distinction needs to be made between the dimension of functional aspects of reality, exhibiting universal (modal) laws (holding for all possible entities), and the dimension of entities characterized by specified type-laws (only holding for a limited class of entities). In particular attention is given to some properties of the first four cosmic aspects/modes: the numerical, the spatial, the kinematical and the physical. In passing a number of related issues are adressed, such as the after effect of the Greek gemometrization of matter, the Achilles' heel of positivism (the usage of property- terms), and an alternative formulation of the law of energy conservation.