Noumenon

3 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Noumenon \Nou"me*non\ (nou"m[-e]*n[o^]n), n. [NL. fr. Gr. ? the
     thing perceived, p. pr. pass. of ? to perceive, ? the mind.]
     (Metaph.)
     The of itself unknown and unknowable rational object, or
     thing in itself, which is distinguished from the {phenomenon}
     through which it is apprehended by the senses, and by which


     it is interpreted and understood; -- so used in the
     philosophy of Kant and his followers.
     [1913 Webster]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  noumenon
       n : the intellectual conception of a thing as it is in itself,
           not as it is known through perception [syn: {thing-in-itself}]
       [also: {noumena} (pl)]

From THE DEVIL'S DICTIONARY ((C)1911 Released April 15 1993) [devils]:

  NOUMENON, n.  That which exists, as distinguished from that which
  merely seems to exist, the latter being a phenomenon.  The noumenon is
  a bit difficult to locate; it can be apprehended only be a process of
  reasoning -- which is a phenomenon.  Nevertheless, the discovery and
  exposition of noumena offer a rich field for what Lewes calls "the
  endless variety and excitement of philosophic thought."  Hurrah
  (therefore) for the noumenon!