Epistemic State of Imagination in Kant's Critique: Assessment from a Sadrian Perspective

In the transcendental deduction of the critique of the pure reason, Kant emphasizes the importance and function of imagination. Kant, in contrast with Descartes, believed that imagination is one of the essential faculties in the process of threefold transcendental synthesis. The reproduction synthesis is the special function of imagination. In the recognition synthesis, which is to be fulfilled by partnership of understanding and imagination, it is revealed that Kant only recognizes acquired knowledge. Yet, using the acquired knowledge as a basis, Kant fails to present an acceptable answer to the question that whether this synthesis is a conscious process or not. Drawing on Mulla Sadra’s views on imagination and knowledge, the present article assesses Kant’s views of imagination and the process of synthesis comparatively.