Abstract:
Under Kant’s theory of thinginitself, there hides a “theory of external relations”, that is, the our human cognition is only involved in the external relations of objects both from the aspect of matter and from that of form, but not involved in the internal properties of objects. In his Critique of Pure Reason, Kant made a systematic argument of his theory of external relations, whereby he made a unique determination of the “external” and “internal” of things, that is, the distinction which is consistent with the one between phenomenon and thinginitself. To understand this theory of external relations could provide us with a convenient entrance to Kant’s theory of thinginitself, and a perspective to reflect or even surpass Kant’s philosophy.