In The History Of Philosophy Kant's Philosophy Of The Main Ideas

The principle of subjectivity plays the role of a fundamental principle in traditional western philosophy .It originates in classic Greek philosophy, particularly the thought of Protagoras and Socrates. The movement of Renaissance revives the self-consciousness in a great extent. It also sets down the necessary condition for re-establishing the principle of subjectivity in western philosophy. Descartes is the most prominent figure in the modern philosophy. Such an academic position is in some sense due to his reinterpretation. In the view of Descartes, "ego thought" has its doubtless validity and the certainty and rationality for a scientific theory is assigned by "ego thought". The examination of "ego thought" is the pre-condition of other things before they acquire their reason of being. But, the introduction of concept of God weakens some obvious certainty of "ego thought", which suggests that the principle of subjectivity has not been thoroughly developed by Descartes. On the basis of criticizing and inheriting the past philosophy, Kant pushes the principle of subjectivity into the whole system of his philosophy, not only the realm of epistemology, but also the realm of ethics and esthetics. So Kant's principle of subjectivity conies to hold the ontological position in real sense. On one hand, there are many contradictions in Kant's theory, which are not resolved basically in the development of modern western philosophy. Ultimately, the principle of subjectivity is deconstructed thoroughly by postmodern philosophy. Different from other philosophers, Marx sets the principle of subjectivity on the foundation of practice, reveals scientifically the origin, development and nature of subjectivity, and overcomes the abstract trend and contradictions in the development of subjectivity. On the other hand, Kant's theory of subjectivity implies some reasonable ideas, for example, the deep concern about human and individuals and the dialectic relation between the legislation of rationality and the regulation of reason etc, which can direct us to review, analyze and solve the problems that we encounter in the course of modernization.