2020 Fiscal Year Research-status Report
The hidden connection between Kant and scholasticism
| Project/Area Number |
18K00019
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| Research Institution | Keio University |
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Principal Investigator |
エアトル ヴォルフガング 慶應義塾大学, 文学部(三田), 教授 (30407150)
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| Project Period (FY) |
2018-04-01 – 2023-03-31
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| Keywords | Kant / Molinism / Peace Theory / Postulates / Philosophy of Religion |
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| Outline of Annual Research Achievements |
In his new book, Rossi (2019) emphasizes the prominent role of enlightened religion in the political project of establishing perpetual peace. My paper discusses Rossi’s stance on the question as to whether Kant, in his later years, moved to an immanentist conception of the highest good. Kant’s own position in this regard can arguably be better described as comprehensive, according to which an immanent and a transcendent conception of the highest good are upheld as realizable side by side. Rossi’s account looks perfectly consistent with such a view. One of the reasons for such a comprehensive reading is that “immanent” and “secular” do not coincide in Kant in the first place. Seen in this comprehensive way, and while a version of the highest good ought to be realized immanently, we cannot be certain that this will indeed happen. If it does indeed happen, the immortality postulate, which Kant never abandoned, renders it rational to believe that the immanent version of the highest good is merely a step towards its transcendent realization. Affinities of Rossi’s approach to the suggestion that Kant subscribes to a political theology based on what has been called “Molinism minimally defined” are also being explored.
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| Current Status of Research Progress |
Current Status of Research Progress
2: Research has progressed on the whole more than it was originally planned.
Reason
After the publication of my book in 2020 I got invited to participate in a book symposium on another volume of the same series. My contribution has been published already so that this part of my research project has turned out to be more fruitful than one could have hoped in the beginning.
Still, my research on things in themselves has been continuing, and I have completed a manuscript which will very soon be submitted to a leading journal.
With regard to the topic of goodness of the will and the formal principle of morality I have written an extensive manuscript on a related, and even preparatory topic, namely the connection of two key notions of freedom in the "Critique of Pure Reason", namely practical and transcendental freedom.
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| Strategy for Future Research Activity |
I will now address the following issues in 2021:
As far as goodness of the will and formal nature of the moral law is concerned, I will be drawing on a classic idea of moral theory, the so-called "restricted divine command theory". Kant's position seems to be: When making a moral decision we are adopting the standpoint of God before creating a world (an idea explicitly mentioned by Kant in the preface to the Religion book). Our maxims must be fit as moral laws for a world. Just like God, in the theory mentioned, needed to respect certain standards when giving laws, so do we. This standard is the highest principle of morality.
With regard to the thesis argument for the 3rd antinomy I shall consider recent work on the conditioning relation as the center piece of the dialectic altogether.
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| Causes of Carryover |
Due to the Covid19 pandemic, traveling was not possible in the past academic year. Hence, the money allocated to this end, could not be used. Moreover, my helper could not work for several months and it was not possible to find a replacement.
I am planning to renew travel activity as soon as the situation improves. I am already in contact with potential hosts so that arrangements can be made on relatively short notice. Moreover, my helper can finally return so that this part of the allocated funds will be used. If necessary, I might try to draw on the support on others on the basis of honoraria.
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Research Products
(3 results)
