Religion within the Boundaries of Mere Reason

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are cited. (We cite the Critique of Pure Reason original: "Kr. d. r. Vernunft." according to the second edition, the Critique of Judgment original: "Kr. d. Urteilskraft." according to the third original edition used as the basis for our edition, and the remaining writings according to my editions in the Philosophical Library The "Philosophische Bibliothek" is a famous series of foundational philosophical texts published by Felix Meiner Verlag, still active today..)

3. Critique of Pure Reason: Even religion must be able to endure a free and public critique if it wishes to claim "unfeigned" respect from reason (1st Preface, page 5, footnote). Immortality and freedom of the will are the cornerstones of all religion (page 773). Metaphysics cannot be the foundation of religion, but it must remain as its defensive bulwark (page 877). That which humans began with in the childhood of philosophy—namely, "first studying the knowledge of God and the hope, or perhaps even the nature, of another world"—is the point at which "we would now prefer to end" (page 880). Practical or moral faith in the existence of God and a future world is, in contrast to "doctrinal" (theoretical) faith, indeed unchangeable, but it is not knowledge (page 856). It contains not a logical, but a moral certainty; in this case, one must not say: "It is certain," but rather: "I am morally certain that there is a God," etc. (page 857). The answer to the last of the three questions in which all interests of reason unite—What can I know? What ought I to do? What may I hope? (page 833)—reads, according to Kant: You may hope for happiness in the same measure as you have made yourself worthy of it through your moral conduct. — The 2nd edition of the work (1787) contains no conception essentially different from the first. The much-cited sentence of the second preface: "I had to deny original: "aufheben." This famous term suggests setting aside or limiting the scope of speculative knowledge to make space for moral belief. knowledge to make room for faith," does not have the meaning, in the context of the whole book, that has often been attributed to it by both theological and radical sides.

4. From the Critique of Practical Reason (1788): Among the "material" determining grounds of human willing—which are unsuitable as a principle of morality—"the will of God" is also included (page 48). Kant argued that morality must be based on the internal "moral law" of reason, rather than external commands or the fear of God's will.