Prompt #4 - A Change in Perspective

Samantha Smith

Mrs. Wagener

AP English 11

4 August 2013

A Change in Perspective

            In the “Kant” chapter of Sophie’s World, Alberto performs the “red-tinted glasses” experiment with Sophie to try and explain the way Kant thought. This experiment proved that how we perceive things may not always be as they are. One cannot always rely solely on their senses; reason must be involved as well. When Sophie put on the red-tinted glasses, Sophie saw exactly how she did before except everything had changed to the color red. If she would have relied only on what she saw, she may have believed that the world was red. However, according to Kant, we all have practical reason that is innate, meaning it comes naturally. For example, even by seeing everything in a different shade, such as red, we are all able to use our reason and past experiences to conclude that the world around us is not actually one individual color.

            Kant’s questioning on perspective can easily be applied to everyday issues in my life. One example that seems to happen quite frequently is with drama. Many times in life, one may overhear someone gossiping about friends, relationships, or other topics along those lines. Unfortunately, the full conversation is not always heard and only certain parts may be recognized. This may lead to extremely misleading stories that far too frequently end up hurting others. This example can be compared to Kant’s belief in using not only senses, but the act of reasoning as well. Like Sophie realized in the “red-tinted glasses” experiment, life, or gossip, may not always exist as though it appeared through our senses. This is exactly why Kant said that we cannot fully trust how we perceive particular situations in life. These occasions could easily be altered simply by a false since of judgment. However, when one also includes the use of practical reasoning, they are much more likely to see the world as it truly is.