Kant’s Theory Of Causality

The dissertation is a study of Kant’s causality thought from perspectives of history and system. In historical point of view, causality thought of early modern philosophers is context and origins of Kant’s theory; causal theory of pre-critical and critical period constitute a developmental history of his theory of causality. In systematical perspective, natural causality, causality from freedom and causality in terms of purpose form a systematic entirety. So, there is internal connection among the three parts. Through this research, I want to define the position of Kant’s causality theory in the history of western philosophy, especially the period of early modern.Firstly, it shows the relationship between Kant and early modern philosophers on this issue. Kant’s theory of natural causality belongs to the third way, i.e. critical method which derived from a dispute between rationalism and empiricism. Both Locke and Leibniz had dogmatic thought of causality; they paid no attention to how the concept of causality is possible in Hume’s view. However, Hume thought of causality as a posterior concept which arises from experience. Causality is a priori concept of pure understanding in Kant’s philosophy. And regarding causality from freedom, Leibniz and Hume had great influence on Kant; however, Kant’s concept of freedom is an idea of the capacity of absolute spontaneity which exceeds their freedom of relative spontaneity. Through the revolution of thought, Kant also answered some complex problems in early modern, especially the relation of necessity and freedom, and the relation of body and mind.Secondly, the inheritance and consistency of Kant’s causality thought between pre-critical and critical periods must be revealed. Division of antecedent determinant reason and consequent determinant reason in his early stage was extended to the difference between transcendental meaning and metaphysical meaning of all concepts of causality in critical period; law of succession and law of coexistence have been reserved in part too.Thirdly, this dissertation highlights system of Kant’s theory of causality; there is internal relation among natural causality, causality freedom and causality in terms of purpose. Systematic discussion about the three kinds of causality becomes main subject of the dissertation. In this respect, the transcendental function of natural causality, is to make cognition of an event and searching for its reason possible; these are two links of a complete cognitive process. The metaphysical significance of natural causality has been reflected in such a principle that "for every event, there must be an external reason". It reveals mutual dependence among substances which are in external relation.Systematical unity of knowledge from pure reason reflects the transcendental meaning of the idea of freedom. Pure reason makes the simple aggregation of knowledge from understanding a systematical whole; because scientific nature of knowledge lies in its systemic and holistic features. The metaphysical meaning of freedom is in practical philosophy. On the one hand, it refers to attribute of will; on the other hand, moral law of pure will has been established on the condition of the idea of freedom. So, moral law is the law of causality from freedom.Kant’s thought of causality in terms of purpose includes natural teleology and moral teleology. Natural teleology is at first a basic presupposition of his critical philosophy which results in systematical unity of knowledge. Then, natural teleology also refers to the principle of natural purposiveness of reflective judgment. While, moral teleology is the very difference of practical philosophy from natural mechanicalism. Free will determines itself to act for some object on the basis of the concept of it which is a purposive reason; therefore, actions of human will are from their practical Self-consciousness.A study of Kant’s causality theory from historical and systematical points of view contributes to not only show the development of causality problem in early modern philosophy, but also demonstrate the inner link of epistemology, ethics, metaphysics in his critical philosophiy, because Kant’s concept of causality in these areas is core concept.