thing-in-itself: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1/C2Formal, Academic, Philosophical
Quick answer
What does “thing-in-itself” mean?
In Kantian philosophy, the ultimate reality of an object as it exists independently of human perception and cognition.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
In Kantian philosophy, the ultimate reality of an object as it exists independently of human perception and cognition; the noumenon.
More broadly, something considered in its own inherent nature, separate from human understanding, interpretation, or relation to other things.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant spelling, pronunciation, or usage differences. It is a direct loan of the German philosophical term 'Ding an sich'.
Connotations
Identical in both varieties: academic and philosophical.
Frequency
Extremely rare in everyday speech in both varieties. Used almost exclusively in academic, philosophical, or literary-critical contexts with similar frequency.
Grammar
How to Use “thing-in-itself” in a Sentence
the thing-in-itself (of X)X as a thing-in-itselfthe concept of the thing-in-itselfdistinguish between the phenomenon and the thing-in-itselfVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “thing-in-itself” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- [Not applicable as a verb]
American English
- [Not applicable as a verb]
adverb
British English
- [Not applicable as an adverb]
American English
- [Not applicable as an adverb]
adjective
British English
- The thing-in-itself reality is beyond empirical verification.
- He speculated about its thing-in-itself properties.
American English
- The thing-in-itself reality is beyond empirical verification.
- He speculated about its thing-in-itself properties.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Virtually never used.
Academic
Core term in philosophy courses on epistemology, metaphysics, and Kant. Also appears in literary theory and critical theory.
Everyday
Extremely rare. If used, it's likely in a figurative, intellectual conversation.
Technical
The primary technical context is professional philosophy.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “thing-in-itself”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “thing-in-itself”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “thing-in-itself”
- Using it as a synonym for a 'physical object'. (It's a metaphysical concept.)
- Using it in casual contexts where simpler terms like 'the real thing' or 'the essence' would suffice.
- Misspelling as 'thing-in-itself' without hyphens.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Not exactly. While similar, 'essence' often implies a definable core quality. 'Thing-in-itself' (noumenon) specifically denotes a reality that is fundamentally unknowable to human cognition, according to Kant.
It would sound highly academic and out of place. In casual conversation, phrases like 'the real thing', 'its true nature', or 'what it actually is' are more appropriate.
It is a direct translation of Immanuel Kant's term 'Ding an sich' from his seminal work 'Critique of Pure Reason' (1781).
For Kant, we cannot have knowledge of it in the empirical, scientific sense. We can only think about it as a necessary concept. Some later philosophers (e.g., Hegel, Schopenhauer) disagreed with Kant's strict unknowability.
In Kantian philosophy, the ultimate reality of an object as it exists independently of human perception and cognition.
Thing-in-itself is usually formal, academic, philosophical in register.
Thing-in-itself: in British English it is pronounced /ˌθɪŋ ɪn ɪtˈself/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌθɪŋ ɪn ɪtˈself/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “[Not applicable; the term itself is a technical idiom.]”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a closed box you can never open. You see the box (phenomenon), but what's truly inside, independent of your seeing, is the 'thing-in-itself'.
Conceptual Metaphor
REALITY IS A HIDDEN CORE; KNOWING IS SEEING (but here, we cannot see the core).
Practice
Quiz
In which field is the term 'thing-in-itself' primarily used?