De Mundi Sensibilis atque Intelligibilis Forma et Principiis: Dissertatio

De Mundi Sensibilis atque Intelligibilis Forma et Principiis: Dissertatio, published in 1770, is a work by Immanuel Kant. It marks a significant step in his philosophical development, distinguishing between the sensible world (what we perceive through our senses) and the intelligible world (what we grasp through reason).1

Kant argued that our perception of reality is shaped by innate mental structures, such as space and time, which he called "pure intuitions." These structures are not inherent properties of the external world but are imposed by the mind, meaning we only experience "appearances" or phenomena.12

While we cannot directly know things as they are in themselves (noumena), Kant proposed that pure intellectual concepts, like possibility, existence, and causality, allow us to have some descriptive knowledge of the intelligible world. This leads to an idea of perfection, whether in the form of God or moral perfection. This work laid the groundwork for his later critical philosophy, particularly his concept of "transcendental idealism".1342