Teleology in Politics. Kant’s Approach

Abstract

Instructor: Jakub Szczepanski, Jagiellonian University Krakow Abstract: The speech will be devoted to Kant's approach to teleology in politics. This problem is related to two main issues: the occurrence in human cognition of two basic paradigms: cause-and-effect and intentional, as well as the issue of the intentional character of the world of living beings. Kant claims that when there are limitations to cause and effect cognition, we must reach for the purposeful paradigm. Besides, the purposeful paradigm is generally always used about the world of living beings. If we believe these theses, in politics, due to the highest possible complexity of the observed phenomena, we are somewhat forced to use teleological reasoning. Core texts: I. Kant, Critique of the Power of Judgment, § 64-68, 80-83 Further reading: 1. Avery Goldman The Principle of Purposiveness: From the Beautiful to the Biological and Finally to the Political in Kant’s Critique of Judgment, from: Politics and Teleology in Kant (ed.) P. Formosa, A. Goldman, T Patrone, Cardiff 2014 2. Paul Guyer Purpose in Nature: What is Living and What is Dead in Kant’s Teleology?, from: P. Guyer, Kant’s System of Nature and Freedom Selected Essays, Oxford 2005 3. Richard Dean Perfected Humanity: Nature’s Final End and the End in Itself, from: Politics and Teleology in Kant (ed.) P. Formosa, A. Goldman, T Patrone, Cardiff 2014 4. Thomas Fiegle Teleology in Kant’s Philosophy of History and Political Philosophy, from: Politics and Teleology in Kant (ed.) P. Formosa, A. Goldman, T Patrone, Cardiff 2014