Monday, August 7, 2017

Autonomous Will, Independent Will, Reason

According to Kant's version of the Independent-Dependent contrast, Autonomous vs. Heteronomous, an Autonomous Will is Pure Practical Reason.  Now, when he first introduces the latter, in the Groundwork, there is no reference to Technical Reason.  But when he later does eventually address its status, he classifies it as a "Theoretical" faculty, even though it functions as directly guiding physiological motions.  So, since that classification occurs after he has made room in his system for a traditional deity, he is vulnerable to the suspicion that his concept of Autonomous Will is designed to conform to the traditional Theological concept of a divine-sourced Free Will, rather than to observable Independent Will, which, as has been previously discussed, typically involves Techne.

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