On Kant’s quantifier-shift fallacy in the possibility proof

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Abstract

In this article, I discuss Kant’s possibility proof (i.e. Kant’s pre-critical attempt to prove the existence of God), and in contrast to some interpreters who claim that Kant was unwilling or unable to dismiss the proof, I argue that Kant himself examines and demolishes it in the Critique of Pure Reason. Moreover, I argue that since the possibility proof is vitiated by a quantifier-shift fallacy, Kant’s rebuttal depends solely upon logical analysis.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)459-469
Number of pages11
JournalRivista di Filosofia
Volume116
Issue number3
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Dec 2025
Externally publishedYes

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2025 Societa Editrice Il Mulino. All rights reserved.

Keywords

  • Kant
  • Possibility proof
  • Quantifier-shift fallacy
  • Rational theology

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