國立臺灣大學哲學論評

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The ethical theology of Kant aims to vindicate the religious belief on the basis of human reason. Although he argues on the one hand that the knowledge of experience and the speculative reason are ineffective for making clear the statements of the immortality of soul and the existence of God, he, on the other hand, maintains on the basis of the practical reason the immortality of soul and the existence of God. Consequently, Kant stresses that morality is bound to lead to religion. However, the afore-mentioned argumentation of Kant is not be understood as that the moral principles themselves should directly lead to religion, from Kant’s point of view, the indispensable foundation for the religious belief has to be built with the framework of moral laws as well as the human instinctive desire for happiness, that is, the Highest Good of the proper proportioning of virtue and happiness is the true basis of the religious belief. Accordingly, Kant insists that the “moral necessity” to “assume the existence of God” is “subjective, i.e., a need, and not objective, i.e. duty itself.” Therefore, the necessity of the religious belief in Kantian viewpoint means to eliminate the moral obstacles so as to aspire the moral resolutions, not on the contrary, that the necessary objectivity of moral laws is established on the basis of religious belief. With such a rational religious belief, what the faithful should be concerned about is to introspect oneself whether one’s virtue is worthy of happiness, and not to behave in accordance with the traditional Christian ways to rely upon praying and look to divine grace, miracles as well as redemption.

Can the Kantian postulate about the subjective moral necessity be proved true? If we acknowledge the Kantian statement about the subjective moral necessity, then, we should ask further, whether the Christian belief in God is the sole choice? If not, do we still need an ethical theology? Furthermore, even taking the western Christian culture into consideration, this paper also aims to examine whether the Kantian issue that morality has to lead to religious belief is unquestionable? Or, is it possible that religious belief is bound to lead to moral behavior?

This paper aims to examine first the happiness within the Kantian notion of the Highest Good still remains an uncertain idea. Secondly, in comparison with the other theories of the moral retribution (such as that of Buddhism), the immortality of soul and the existence of God can not be proved as the only two valid presumptions for the issue of the moral retribution. Thirdly, this paper will point out that the notion of moral demands is not necessary for maintaining the raison d’etre of the religious belief, and that Kant’s perception of the Christian core-doctrines is incorrect.