also: かくたい
Philosophical term for the object of perception or cognition, as opposed to the subject (主体). Used in epistemology and related fields.
See also: 主体
In epistemology, the relationship between subject and object is an important theme.
He studies how we perceive external objects.
主体 is the acting or perceiving subject, while 客体 is the object that is acted upon or perceived.
objectification
Standard kanji form; the reading きゃくたい is the most common.
Alternate reading; less common than きゃくたい.
From 客 (guest, visitor) and 体 (body, substance), literally 'guest body'. The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the term is used in modern philosophy to denote the object of cognition.