What philosophical concept suggests that appearances are only representations created by the mind and understanding?

Transcendental Idealism is a philosophical concept primarily associated with Immanuel Kant. It posits that what we perceive in the world is not a direct reflection of reality but rather a product of our mental faculties. According to this view, our understanding and perception shape our experience, meaning that the way we interpret the world is influenced by the structures of our mind.

In this framework, the distinction between phenomena (the things we perceive) and noumena (the things in themselves, which exist independently of our perceptions) is crucial. Transcendental Idealism asserts that while we can know phenomena through our senses and mental categories, the noumena remain fundamentally inaccessible to us. This leads to the idea that our experiences and the world as we understand it are, in essence, constructs of our perception, not direct representations of objective reality.

The other concepts—Utilitarianism, Moral Egoism, and Determinism—focus on different aspects of ethical theory and human behavior rather than the nature of perception and reality. Utilitarianism evaluates actions based on their outcomes in terms of overall happiness, while Moral Egoism is centered on self-interest in ethical decisions. Determinism advances the idea that all events, including moral choices, are determined by preceding events