God and Man in Kant's Religious Philosophy
Lecturer: Dr. Stephen Palmquist
"The inscrutable wisdom through which we exist is not less worthy of
veneration in respect to what it denies us than in respect to what it has
granted."
--Immanuel Kant, Critique of Practical Reason
"... to have religion is a duty of man to himself." --Kant, Metaphysics of
Morals
"I have evidenced my great respect for Christianity in many ways ... Its best
and most lasting eulogy is its harmony ... with the purest moral belief in
religion. For it is by this, and not by historical scholarship, that
Christianity, so often debased, has always been restored; and only by this
can it again be restored when, in the future, it continues to meet a similar
fate." --Immanuel Kant, Conflict of the Faculties
Objectives
Immanuel Kant (1724-1804) is generally regarded as the greatest (or
at least, the most influential) philosopher since Aristotle. Kant developed an
entirely new approach to philosophy, often called the "Critical method" or
"transcendental philosophy", which he hoped would provide the key for
solving all philosophical problems. Many are convinced that he did, in fact,
make significant progress in solving a number of important problems. But
everyone agrees that in the process, his ideas gave rise to new problems.
The past two hundred years of philosophy could, to a large extent, be
characterized as a series of attempts to solve these new, post-Kantian
problems.
With this in mind, one of the most important "special topics in
philosophy" nowadays is the philosophical System constructed by Kant.
The System is, in fact, so complex that we will be unable to study all of it in
detail. Instead, the lectures and class discussions will focus on what some
scholars believe was the core of Kant"s System: namely, the creative
tension between God and man. Students will read and discuss selections
from each of Kant"s three great Critiques, from his main book on Religion,
and from some of his other minor writings, in order to understand how
Kant believed a religious way of life can be justified in a philosophically
respectable way.
References
Each student should bring to class the text we will be studying that
day (or a copy of it). The page numbers will be announced in advance.
Selections will be taken from some of the following twelve books, all of
which will be put on two day reserve in the library:
Immanuel Kant, The Conflict of the Faculties, tr. M.J. Gregor (New York:
Abaris, 1979).
Immanuel Kant, Critique of Pure Reason, tr. N. Kemp Smith (London:
Macmillan, 1929).
Immanuel Kant, Critique of Practical Reason, tr. L.W. Beck (Indianapolis:
Bobbs-Merrill, 1956.
Immanuel Kant, Critique of Judgment, tr. J.C. Meredith (Oxford: Oxford
Univ. Press, 1952).
Immanuel Kant, Lectures on Philosophical Theology, tr. A.W. Wood and
G.M. Clark (Ithaca: Cornell University Press, 1978).
Immanuel Kant, Religion within the Limits of Reason Alone, tr. T.H.
Greene and H.H. Hudson (New York: Harper and Row, 1960).
Stephen Palmquist, Kant"s System of Perspectives (Lanham: University
Press of America, 1993).
H.J. Paton, The Categorical Imperative (London: Hutchinson, 1947).
Philip J. Rossi, Kant"s Philosophy of Religion Reconsidered
(Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1991).
W.H. Walsh, Kant"s Criticism of Metaphysics (Edinburgh: Edinburgh
University Press, 1975).
Allen W. Wood, Kant"s Moral Religion (Ithaca: Cornell University Press,
1970).
Allen W. Wood, Kant"s Rational Theology (Ithaca: Cornell University
Press, 1978).
Requirements and Grade Assessment
Attend class, participate in the discussions, and do the readings!
I. Classwork: 20% of your grade will be based on two types of class
participation:
(A) Reading a Paper (10%): Each student will write a short paper (4-5
pages, typed, double spaced) and read it to the class. The reading should
last about 15 minutes, and will be followed by about 15 minutes for
questions and further discussion. The paper should be based on either (1)
one of Kant"s minor writings, and how it relates to the major writings
discussed in the lectures, or (2) one of the commentators on Kant"s
writings. One copy should be given to the lecturer by 9am on the day the
paper is to be read. The grade will be based on two criteria (five marks
each): (1) the overall quality of the presentation itself (both written and
verbal), and (2) the quality of the response (i.e., how interesting was it to
those listening? and how well were the questions answered in the
discussion that followed?).
(B) Responding to Other Students" Papers (10%): Attendance will be
required throughout the term, but especially whenever a student is reading a
paper. Also, everyone is expected to participate in the discussions that
follow such readings. Both of these factors will be considered in assigning
a further ten marks.
II. Term Paper. 40% of your grade will be based on a term paper,
which should be a significantly revised and expanded version of the paper
you read in class, taking into account any comments written on it by the
lecturer. (Note: this is not an absolute requirement: a new topic can be
chosen if you are very dissatisfied with the first topic; but this not
advisable.) The term paper should be 8-10 pages long and 2500-3000
words (not including footnotes and bibliography, unless the footnotes
contain text). The paper will be due at 5pm on Monday, 19 December. It
will be graded on three criteria (ten marks each): (1) clarity (10%), (2)
completeness (15%), and (3) creativity (15%). No papers will be accepted
after 5pm on Tuesday, 20 December.*
III. Examination: 40% of your grade will be based on the final
exam, which will probably consists of two essay questions (worth 20
marks each).
*Note: Classes will be cancelled during the last two weeks of the term; a
special one- or two-hour session (as needed) will be held the day before
final exams begin (10-1-95) in order to hand back the graded term papers,
and answer any last-minute questions on Kant. If necessary, another extra
class session may be held one or two weeks before the Christmas break.
Tentative Lecture Schedule
I. Introduction: Kant"s lifelong Critical method, as revealed in his early
comparison
between mysticism and metaphysics (3 hours)
II. The Critique of Pure Reason and the boundaries of knowledge (9 hours)
* * * 2-3 Student papers * * * (25-28 October)
III. The Critique of Practical Reason and the boundaries of action (5 hours)
* * * 2-3 Student papers * * * (8-11 November)
IV. The Critique of Judgment and the boundaries of experience (5 hours)
* * * 2-3 Student papers * * * (22-25 November)
V. Religion as the highest point of Kant"s System (9 hours)
* * * 2-3 Student papers * * * (13-16 [or 6-9?] December)
VI. Conclusion: Kant"s Critical Mysticism (3 hours)
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This page was last updated on 30 September 1995
StevePq@hkbu.edu.hk