What does the billiard ball example illustrate in Kant's theory?

In Kant's theory, the billiard ball example illustrates the relationship between reality and our perceptions. Kant posited that our understanding of the world is shaped by the way we perceive it and that reality exists independently of our perceptions. The billiard ball scenario demonstrates how we interpret causal interactions based on our sensory experiences and prior knowledge. When observing billiard balls colliding, we perceive motion and force, which are not direct experiences but rather interpretations of our sensory inputs. This example emphasizes that our cognitive faculties organize and interpret the raw data received from our senses, establishing a connection between objective reality and subjective experience. In this way, it exemplifies Kant's notion that our perceptions, though based on external stimuli, are filtered through our mental frameworks, ultimately affecting how we comprehend reality.