Symbolic Representation in Kant's Practical Philosophy

by Heiner Bielefeldt

• ISBN13: 9780521818131
• ISBN10: 0521818133
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2003-06-09
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Summary

This book is the first to explore in detail the role that symbolic representation plays in the architecture of Kant's philosophy. Symbolic representation fulfills a crucial function in Kant's practical philosophy because it serves to mediate between the unconditionality of the categorical imperative and the inescapable finiteness of the human being. By showing how the nature of symbolic representation plays out across all areas of the practical philosophy - moral philosophy, legal philosophy, philosophy of history and philosophy of religion - Heiner Bielefeldt offers a unique perspective on how these various facets of Kant's philosophy cohere.

Table of Contents

Citations and Translations	ix
Acknowledgments	xiii
Introduction
The Paradox of Liberalism: A Preliminary Observation	1	(3)
The Unconditioned Within the Human Condition	4	(1)
Symbolic Representation in Kant's Works	5	(2)
Toward a Critical Metaphysics	7	(3)
Overview of the Book	10	(4)
Kant's Socratic Enlightenment
Leaving the State of Tutelage	14	(3)
Philosophy in the Service of Enlightenment	17	(3)
The Example of Socrates	20	(6)
The Primacy of the Practical Use of Reason	20	(1)
Socratic Midwifery	21	(2)
Opposition to Sophistry	23	(3)
The Critical Method	26	(6)
Symbolic Representation of the Unconditioned	32	(8)
The Law of Freedom
The ``Fact of Reason``	40	(7)
The Non-Deducibility of the Fact of Reason	42	(1)
The Obtrusiveness of the Fact of Reason	43	(1)
The Rationality within the Fact of Reason	44	(1)
The Uniqueness of the Fact of Reason	45	(2)
The Law of Nature as a Symbol of the Moral Law	47	(6)
Humanity as an End in Itself	53	(5)
Respect Before the Moral Law	58	(8)
The Symbolic Significance of Nature in Practical Philosophy	66	(2)
How to Find Orientation in Moral Practice
Moral Self-Legislation through Maxims	68	(3)
The Development of Maxims as a Learning Process	71	(7)
The Highest Good as a Comprehensive Horizon of Meaning	78	(3)
The Fundamental Ends of Morality	81	(7)
One's Own Perfection	82	(4)
The Happiness of Others	86	(2)
Social Duties	88	(8)
Politeness as Symbolic Role Playing	88	(5)
Respecting and Promoting the Order of Rights	93	(1)
Toward an Ethical Community	94	(2)
The Order of Rights as a Symbol of Human Dignity
Preliminary Remark on the Meaning of ``Recht``	96	(1)
``The Apple of God's Eye``	97	(4)
Legal Freedom as an Institutionalized Recognition of Autonomy	101	(3)
Freedom, Equality, Independence	104	(3)
The United Lawgiving Will of the People	107	(3)
Separation of Powers	110	(4)
The Need for Political Criticism	114	(3)
Traces of Purposiveness in Nature and History
Mediating between Freedom and Nature	117	(2)
Critical Teleology	119	(2)
The Symbolic Significance of the Beautiful in Nature	121	(4)
Hoping for Progress in History	125	(6)
``Unsocial Sociability``	131	(4)
Toward a Rightful Order of Peace	135	(12)
From the State of Nature to Civil Society	136	(4)
From Civil Society to a Liberal Republic	140	(3)
The Goal of International and Cosmopolitan Peace	143	(4)
Limitations of Historical Progress	147	(4)
Symbolism in the Philosophy of Religion
Beyond Metaphysical Dogmatism	151	(3)
Moral Autonomy as the Basis of Religion	154	(5)
Recognizing Moral Duties as Divine Commands	159	(4)
Traces of Divine Wisdom in Nature	163	(3)
God as Lawgiver of an Ethical Community	166	(4)
Critique of the Christian Church	170	(9)
Critique of the Bible	172	(1)
Symbolic Anthropomorphism	173	(4)
Moral Worship	177	(2)
Conclusion
Ways of Symbolic Representation	179	(2)
Purposes of Symbolic Representation	181	(4)
Epilogue: Modern Liberalism and Kant	185	(4)
Bibliography	189	(10)
Index	199