Abstract for the Kant in Asia
International Conference
at Hong Kong Baptist
University
20-23 May 2009
Rainer Enskat,
“The Cognitive Dimension in
Kant’s Theory of Freedom as Autonomy”
Kant´s
practical philosophy identifies freedom with autonomy as the central
characteristic faculty (`Vermögen´) of each human
being. This faculty has not only a practical, but also a cognitive dimension.
Yet, what is in general highly under-esteemed is the structure of its cognitive
dimension. This structure shows itself in some well-definable steps of our
faculty of practical judgement by which we recognize
a given maxim - and accordingly, the maxim-corresponding way of acting - as
morally correct or incorrect. This cognitive act of our faculty of practical judgement is structured by our practical reason through the
medium of the categorical imperative and thereby divided, as will be shown,
into a small number of formal procedural steps. Not earlier than we have
reconstructed this cognitive procedure of our faculty of practical judgement can we determine whether Kant´s theory of freedom
as autonomy is well-founded or not.