Glossary of Technical Terms

ability: the exhibition of a change in the appearance of an object insofar as the ground for the determination of this change has its transcendental place in the Nature of the object. The matter of an ability is a power (Kraft); the form of an ability is called a faculty (Vermögen). absolute: being valid in every respect and without restriction. This adjective is the opposite in meaning to being valid merely in some particular respect. absolutely unconditioned concept: the problematic idea of a concept that cannot be abstracted from and therefore cannot be a lower concept to any higher concept. abstraction: 1) the Verstandes-Actus of segregating everything from a representation by which the comparate representations going into the synthesis differ with regard to the purpose in making the representation; 2) the function of differentiation in the synthesis of Meaning. accident: the notion in a cognition of the appearance of the Existenz of a transcendental object; accidents are modi of the Existenz of a Kantian substance, and are logically predicates to which the substance is logical subject. accidental mark: a mark of an object is accidental if it is not always found in the concept of the object. An accidental mark, e.g. “smoke in the forest”, can be separated from the concept of the object. Accidental marks are opposed to necessary marks. accommodation: modification of an existing structure to permit incorporation of a new representation or scheme. The process of accommodation is the idea of differentiation in the faculty of pure consciousness. acroam: a fundamental principle of metaphysics proper. In the Critical Philosophy acroamatic principles are consequences of adopting the Copernican hypothesis. They occupy a role in metaphysics proper not unlike the role of axioms in mathematics with one key difference: mathematical axioms as constructed concepts must be based upon acroamatic principles that ground them in the system of metaphysics if such mathematical axioms are in any way to be regarded as “self-evident truths.” Thus, formal mathematics requires an applied metaphysic for tying mathematical analysis to the analysis of Nature. acroam of objective validity: the use of the categories of understanding has objective validity only insofar as the concepts they produce pertain to objects of a possible experience. acroam of objective validity in a practical cause: the idea of a practical cause is objectively valid only if the mathematical expression of this idea can be transformed into the mathematical form of an empirical cause. acroam of perfection in distinctness: perfection of aesthetical distinctness is the making of a coalition in representation through an anasynthesis of real opposition. acroam of substance and accident: concepts of accidents cannot be connected in the manifold of concepts except under a concept that stands as the concept of the substantial object in a Relation of substance and accident. acroam of transcendental apperception: all perceptions belong to the single consciousness of the Subject and therefore must be capable of being combined in a necessary unity of the manifold of representations. acroam of transcendental consciousness: see appendix of Critical acroams and principles. act (Handlung, actus): the determination of a Kraft as a cause of accidents. Act is form (nexus) in the 1LAR of Kraft. An act is the making of a nexus in a manifold of organization. act of evaluation: Relation in Lust-Kraft representing the processes of judgment combined with noetic organization. act of innovation: Modality in Lust-Kraft representing the powers of perception combined with somatic organization. acting: realizing a mere Vermögen-to-act by producing an action. action (Wirkung, actio): change in appearance of accidents. An action is thus a change of state. Action is matter (composition) in the 1LAR of Kraft, i.e. the composing of the matter in a manifold of organization. activity (Thätigkeit): 1) the union of act and action. Activity in the theoretical Standpoint is the effect for which the cause is a Kraft; 2) the idea of identification in motoregulatory expression. Activity in motoregulatory expression is the unity of behavioral appearances in soma. activity loop: referring to figure 17.5.1, the loop of information flow running from the synthesis in sensibility through reflective judgment to motoregulatory expression (and including the side branch through practical Reason to motoregulatory expression) and back to the synthesis in sensibility via kinæsthetic feedback. actual: cohering with sensation, which is the material condition of experience. actualizing of perception: the idea of determination in