Does God Exist? Kant's Moral Arument
Does God Exist? Immanuel Kant
'Does God Exist' is one of the most debated questions in philosophy. There are many philosophers who have tried to argument that God does or does not exist.
Of those who have argued for God's existence, some have argued 'A Priori' (based on logic) and others have argued for God's existence 'A Posteriori' (based on experience). Some of the famous arguments for God's existence have included the cosmological argument, the design argument and the ontological argument.
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Immanuel Kant
On this webpage, I am going to ask how Immanuel Kant would reply to the question 'Does God Exist?'
Kant actually criticized the Ontological argument for Gods existence. However, if we look deeper into Kant's ethical theory, it appears that God did argument that God exists from morality. Kant was a deontological thinker. In his ethical theory, Kant identified that humans as autonomous beings choose to do what is morally right because it is their duty. As a reward for doing their duty, they can reach the Summum Bonum, which is the highest good or ultimate happiness. If humans are striving to achieve the summum bonum, then it must be achievable, otherwise there is no morality or justice. If the summum bonum is achievable, something must have made that achievable. God made the summum bonum achievable therefore God exists.
3 Minute Kant on YouTube!
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