A Study On The Idea Of Autonomy In Kant's Practical Philosophy

Autonomy is a core idea in Kant's practical philosophy even in his entire ideological system,and the moral law based on that is a fundamental starting point and destination of Kant's practical philosophy.It is also through this idea that Kant has further developed the fundamental value of a new vision of normative practical philosophy,and has become the important resources of exploring contemporary moral and political questions.In this sense,interpreting the fundamental connotation,basic path and value transformation deeply is an important research issue that urgently needs to be promoted.However,for a long time,there has been much controversy in the academic understanding of this value.On the one hand,many scholars believe that Kantian autonomy has too strong formal and obligatory characters,and the ideas of moral personality presented by these are only feasibility in a rational sense,but lack rich experience of human intention and material connotation.On the other hand,even within the Kantian,there also are many different opinions.From the perspective of Rawls' constructivists,Kant's autonomy sets up a procedure of how to make moral choices for us,which constructs the object of will by practical reason,and regulates our action by virtue of this procedural form.However,the realists(such as Allen Wood&Karl Ameriks)hold that Kant's idea of autonomy is only an idea of reason,there are no object corresponding to it;but the effectiveness of moral derives from the objective value of end in itself,which independent of anyone's will.There are still some contradictories in Kant's own interpretation,for example,in the process of proving "Categorical Imperative",some conceptions he formulates,such as"the hidden cycle","the fact of reason","the noumenal self"and "free choice" lead controversy in the academic world.On the basis of absorbing relevant research achievements in academic world,this paper directly confronts related arguments and ideological difficulties,through interpreting Kant's philosophical contexts interprets the main idea of autonomy in a coherent way from normative perspective.We also present the unique moral personality ideal,the purpose of value and the public orientation of this idea,on this basis,we can respond to misunderstandings and criticisms in the academic world,and then defend the Kantian approach to moral and political argumentation.First,this paper clarifies the origin of this idea through the consideration of several previous moral philosophical views presented in Kant's text,which include the ethical idea of Greece(especially Plato and Stoic),modern natural law theory,moral sentimentalism perfectionism and Rousseau's idea.On one hand,we insist that why these moral theories are heteronomous in Kant's review.On the other hand,we also present the relevance and impact of these views to the idea of autonomy.Next,chapter 2 analyzes and demonstrates Kant's normative deduction process of the ideal of autonomy especially.This idea,as a power of will combined with pure practical reason,not only has a negative interest independent of sensitive inclination,but also emphasizes a positive orientation which establishes the universal law to guarantee equality and freedom,thus it shows the unique ideological connotations.At the same time,in the statement of Categorical Imperative with universal and prescriptive characters,Kant makes it to present a normative value orientation based on autonomy and the end of humanity.This interpretation is an important resource for responding relevant arguments.On this basis,we can better respond to the accusations of "Reciprocity Thesis" to which Kant faces in the deduction of Categorical Imperative.Finally,this method also promotes the idea of autonomy to be consistent with moral laws in our action,and makes the demonstration of Categorial Imperative has validity through manifestation of the absolute value of freedom and the ideal of moral personality.There is another issue that deserves our attention after completing the normative demonstration of Categorical Imperative,that is the expression of "self-legislation"used by Kant.In his eyes,our will can give moral law for ourselves.However,this interpretation often raises many questions,which leads to a lot of disputes in the academic world.In their view,there is a paradox between self and legislation:"to make my own will the author of my obligations seems to leave both their content and their bindingness at my discretion,which contradicts the idea that I am obligated by them." Therefore,chapter 3 will solve this paradox leaded by Kant's idea of autonomy.In our opinion,this paradox can be eliminated by applying normative demonstration.From this perspective,we can make sure that the contents of moral law are not created by my will,or the product of self-constructing process.The foundation of self-legislation is also based on an objective end,that is,the dignity as the rationality of end in itself.Only in this way,can people be autonomous or self-legislated.The topics discussed in the previous sections have laid the theoretical foundation for our normative demonstration of the idea of autonomy.Therefore,in chapter 4,we will focus on applying this method of argument to "comprehensive interpretation" of Kant's legal and political philosophy.In legal philosophy,we will mainly analyze the idea of autonomy's fundamental role for the principle of right.As two important components of the system of metaphysic of morals,Kant's doctrine of right and doctrine of virtue are totally different,but they are from the same moral principle.That principle takes Categorical Imperative as primary form and ensures that everyone's freedom could be preserved and promoted under the limitation of universal law.However,the holders of 'Independence Thesis' think that,the features of analytics,externality and coercion,which the principle of right have can't coexist with prescription of Categorical Imperative.Therefore,the principle of right is independent of the highest moral principle,and detaches from the foundation of metaphysic of morals established by Kant before.We think this position is due to the narrow understanding of Categorical Imperative and the highest moral principle,which makes the 'doctrine of right' lose its roof and undermines the completely form of Kant's system of metaphysic of morals,as well as unable to present the value of Kant's idea of autonomy.At last,we will focus on the fundamental moral questions in Kant's political philosophy.this basis is also provided by the normative interpretation of autonomy.In the discussion of contemporary political philosophy,many scholars believe that from a perspective of political liberalism,the idea of autonomy is personal rather than moral.In their opinions,personal autonomy and moral autonomy are incompatible with each other,Rawls thus has started his famous "political turn".Therefore,some scholars have tried to discover relevant elements of personal autonomy in Kant's practical philosophy in order to reconcile the gap between these two interpretations.However,in our opinion,Kantian personal autonomy analyzed and proved by them is still incomplete.In order to clarify the true relationship between the two,we need to clearly grasp two concepts:will&willkur,and explore further links between the two through the position of hierarchy and priority.At the same time,by this method,we can further develop a Kantian comprehensive liberalism and establish legal right of freedom in public political area,so as to truly move towards to the public autonomy with "equal freedom","moral responsibility" and "general will".