Critique of the Teleological Judgement: From Kant’s Critique of the Power of Judgement (Grapevine edition)

In this section Kant turns his attention to teleological judgment which concerns the perception of purpose or design in the natural world. Derived from his Critique of the Power of Judgment Kant discusses how we often interpret natural phenomena as if they were the result of intentional design even though we cannot empirically prove such design. He explores the tension between mechanistic explanations and teleological perspectives in the study of nature. Kant's examination of teleological judgment is crucial for understanding his philosophy of biology and his approach to the relationship between nature science and aesthetics.