Robert Greenberg Livres

Analytic philosophy has leveled many challenges to Kant’s ascription of necessary properties and relations to objects in his Critique of Pure Reason. Some of these challenges can be answered, it is argued here, largely in terms of techniques belonging to analytic philosophy itself, in particular, to its philosophy of language. This Kantian response is the primary objective of this book. It takes the form of a compromise between the real existence of the objects that we can intuit and that get our knowledge started – dubbed initiators – and the ideality of the necessary properties and relations that Kant ascribes to our sensible representations of initiators, which he entitles appearances. Whereas the real existence of initiators is independent of us and our senses, the necessity of these properties and relations of appearances is due to their origins in the mind. The Kantian compromise between real existence and ideal necessity is formulated in terms of David Kaplan’s interpretation of de re necessity in his article, “Quantifying In” – his response to Quine’s concern that a commitment to such a necessity leads to an acceptance of an unwanted traditional Aristotelian essentialism. In addition, the book first abstracts and then departs from its interpretation of Kant to provide a realistic account of the relation between existence and de re necessity.

The perfect music gift from one of the most trusted names in continuing education. Learn how to better appreciate music in this guide that will unlock the knowledge you need to understand “the most abstract and sublime of all the arts.” Whether you're listening in a concert hall or on your iPod, concert music has the power to move you. The right knowledge can deepen the ability of this music to edify, enlighten, and stir the soul. In How to Listen to Great Music, Professor Robert Greenberg, a composer and music historian, presents a comprehensive, accessible guide to how music has mirrored Western history, that will transform the experience of listening for novice and long-time listeners alike. You will learn how to listen for key elements in different genres of music—from madrigals to minuets and from sonatas to symphonies—along with the enthralling history of great music from ancient Greece to the 20th century. You'll get answers to such questions as Why was Beethoven so important? How did the Enlightenment change music? And what's so great about opera anyway? How to Listen to Great Music will let you finally hear what you've been missing.

The prevailing interpretation of Kant’s First Critique in Anglo-American philosophy posits that his theory of a priori knowledge primarily addresses the conditions for empirical knowledge. Robert Greenberg, however, asserts that Kant is fundamentally concerned with the very possibility of a priori knowledge itself. He advances four key theses: (1) the Critique focuses on the possibility of a priori knowledge in relation to objects, rather than empirical knowledge, and Kant's theory on this is defensible; (2) Kant’s transcendental ontology must be differentiated from the conditions for a priori knowledge; (3) the functions of judgment in the Table of Judgments should be understood through Kant’s transcendental logic as having substantive content, rather than merely as logical forms; (4) the distinction between ordering relations and reference relations must be considered to avoid misinterpretations of the Critique. Throughout, Greenberg contrasts his views with those of prominent Kant commentators like Henry Allison, Jonathan Bennett, Paul Guyer, and Peter Strawson. This fresh perspective not only challenges dominant interpretations but also aligns more closely with Kant’s original intent, offering a clearer understanding of the seemingly discordant themes in the First Critique.

This monograph offers a fresh interpretation of Kant’s àtemporal view on the causality of free will. It analyzes Kant’s primary conception of action as a causal consequence of the will, drawing on H. P. Grice’s causal theory of perception and P. F. Strawson’s modifications. The work challenges the prevalent notion that Kant’s maxim of action serves as a causal determination. Instead, it posits that the maxim defines the action, concluding that an action, for Kant, is primarily an effect of the will, with the maxim serving as its logical determination. The study also addresses Kant’s àtemporal causality in the context of contemporary philosophical views and his own theory presented in the Second Analogy of Experience, where causality is depicted as a natural, temporal relationship among physical and psychological entities. This creates a tension between the two conceptions. Scholars like Allen W. Wood often reject Kant’s àtemporal causality, while others like Henry E. Allison accept it in a diluted form. However, both camps adhere to the assumption that Kant’s maxim is a causal determination of action. This monograph stands apart by rejecting that assumption and offering an alternative perspective.