Journal of Philosophical Investigations

Document Type : Research Paper

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Abstract

Immanuel Kant (1724-1804) is one of the most important philosophers of enlightenment period. He allocates a great emphasis on religion in his philosophy, that he considers this subject in details in his three main books.
His attention to religious categories especially God's idea in his Critique of Pure Reason is negative. And by rejection the most important arguments of rational theology, he shows that our recognition cannot prove or deny God as something beyond experience, and this is the natural result of his religious consideration in his epistemology.
But, he doesn't limit his religious speculation to negative aspect and describes his maxims and foundations of positive theology in other realm. In Critique of Practical Reason, he describes moral proof for the existence of God and the immortality of the soul on the basis at happiness and virtue, and so he founds religion on moral. He believes that ethical laws together with highest Good lead to religion, i.e. in which all human duties are the essential laws of every free will and, at same time, are commands of God.
So, in The Religion within the Limits of Reason Alone he describes religion according to human nature. The dualism of human nature is essential for Kant's religious point of view, and leads him from ethics moral to the religion. In fact, his religious discipline is directed to human amendment and it is a complementary to his moral discipline.
This investigation attemps to determine kant's position on religion and its ethical cotents by considering human nature on the basis of his moral principles.

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