Research On Kant’s Physical Teleology

Through the form and matter, the subjective and objective classification, Kantmakes three areas of purposiveness clear: the theory、practice and nature. Thepurposiveness of nature performs in the aesthetic theory and physical teleology.Physical teleology suits for the objective material purposiveness.The faculty of cognition is divided into understanding、power of judgment andreason. Physical teleology suits for the faculty of power of judgment. The power ofjudgment is a new priori legislative faculty. The principle of the purposiveness ofnature is a transcendental principle of the power of judgment. The power ofjudgment’s concept of a purposiveness of nature still belongs among the concepts ofnature, but only as a regulative principle of the faculty of cognition. It represents theunique way in which we must proceed in reflection on the objects of nature with theaim of a thoroughly interconnected experience, consequently it is a subjectiveprinciple of the power of judgment.Things, as natural ends, are organized beings. It have the final causes as thetheoretical basis. First, the various parts (according to their existence and form) ispossible only through its relationship with the whole. Second, its parts be combinedinto a whole by being reciprocally the cause and effect of their form. The concept of athing as in itself a natural end is a concept reflecting power of judgment which suitsfor guiding research into objects of this kind and thinking over their highest ground inaccordance with a remote analogy with our own causality in accordance with ends.We acquire only a guideline for considering things in nature, in relation to adetermining ground that is already given, in accordance with a new, lawful order, andfor extending natural science in accordance with another principle, namely that offinal causes.The principle of mechanism can coexist with teleological principle.Theabove maxim leads to the necessity of a unification of both principles in the judgingof things as natural ends.Physicotheology connects with physical teleology closely. The certificate ofphysicotheology at any time is worth to respect with the commendable attitude. It isthe oldest and is most suitable for ordinary human rationality. It is physical teleologythat has been misunderstood, however, it is only as the preparation (entry) of teleology that can be useful. Only the certificate of ethicotheology is possible.Physical teleology，physicotheology，are results by the effective action of moralteleology.The aesthetic power of judgment is the basis of the teleological power ofjudgment. The teleological power of judgment also complements the aesthetic powerof judgment. Transition from the aesthetic power of judgment to the teleologicalpower of judgment makes the two more closely linked. That is the concept of art work.Both the aesthetic power of judgment and the teleological power of judgment togethercomplete the transition from the natural world to the moral world. In the aestheticjudgment, the subject awares of the connection of inner harmony and freedom, in theteleological judgment, through the pursuit of the final end, the people realize that thefinal end can only be those who obey the moral law, so related to the moral law.The reflecting power of judgment is the bridge between nature and freedom,which is the free and purposive use of all cognitive ability. On the one hand, it comesfrom the person’s cognitive ability and human knowledge; on the other hand, it comesfrom the freedom and morality, so relates to practice. The steps of the transition are:nature be judged as the end of organized beings, then as the end of the survival ofhumanity，last as the end of human reason. That is a route that starts from singleorganism to natural ends as a system then to the ultimate end, and to the final end atlast.