A Study Of Kant’s Idea Of The Kingdom Of Ends

Kant’s concept of the kingdom of ends has a rich content.Research on it has always revolved around three readings,namely,political,metaphysical,and religious readings.The differences between the three readings mainly stem from two issues,namely,"the problem of the constituent relations in the kingdom of ends" and "the problem of the realization of the kingdom of ends".Based on Kant’s account of the kingdom of ends,this paper will critically reflect on the three readings and focus on the "problem of the realization of the kingdom of ends," with the central task of looking beyond the existing limitations and examining the idea of the kingdom of ends in the context of the philosophical system of history.Therefore,this paper focuses on answering two questions,namely,the "problem of possibility" and the "problem of reality" of the Kingdom of Purpose in the context of the philosophy of history.In the first chapter of this paper,in response to the two questions that divide the three readings,the three readings can be divided into two basic positions,namely,the reality position and the faith position.With regard to the "constitutive relationship issue," the realistic position emphasizes the dual identity of members as lawmakers and law-abiding,while the faith position emphasizes the position of God as the head of the "kingdom of purpose," with the religious reading giving God a more exalted status.The realistic position places the realization of the kingdom of ends in the world on this shore,while the latter gives the kingdom of ends the color of the world on the other shore.However,all three readings have insurmountable defects,mainly: they confuse virtue with legal power,ignore the totality of the "kingdom of ends",and lead to the otherness of the will.In this paper,we will discuss the "problem of possibility" and "problem of reality"in Chapter 2,and with regard to the "problem of possibility," first,the rational being is set as the common subject of the kingdom of ends and history.First,the rational being is set up as the common subject of the kingdom of ends and the philosophy of history,linking moral philosophy and the philosophy of history.This linkage makes the kingdom of purpose a preliminary possibility in the context of the philosophy of history.Second,the moral law not only constructs the kingdom of ends,but also establishes the ultimate end of history as the guiding principle of history,the "supreme good.Thus,the moral law based on free will,as a common starting point,makes the kingdom of ends a further possibility in the context of the philosophy of history.Third,there is a unity of purpose between the kingdom of purpose and the philosophy of history,both of which are oriented toward the realization of the freedom of human beings.The human being,as a moral being,establishes the possibility of the kingdom of purpose in the context of the philosophy of history.In response to the "problem of reality," first,in historical teleology,the ultimate purpose of nature is culture.Through the use of one’s own free will and rational faculties,self-education is achieved,allowing human beings to escape from the state of nature and to build up an overall moral quality.This is a crucial first step for humanity toward membership in the Kingdom of Purpose.Second,in historical purposivism,the ultimate purpose is the supreme good.Historical purposism achieves the ultimate moral purpose in the historical process by emphasizing the necessity of moral belief.This provides ample possibilities for the realization of the Kingdom of Purpose in the Kingdom of Nature.Third,perpetual peace as the ultimate good constructs a model of the kingdom of purpose in the real empirical world.Because the practical principles in perpetual peace are established in accordance with the innate normative principles of the kingdom of purpose.Therefore the kingdom of purpose will certainly be realized in this world.Fourth,the non-social sociality provides the realistic impetus for the realization of the kingdom of purpose.The realization of the kingdom of purpose in the course of history thus presents a trinity of constructions,the three being the natural stage,the cultural stage,and the perfect moral stage;the one being the one world as a whole.Each of these links is permeated by Kant’s attempt to use historical teleology to unify freedom and nature.In the progression of history from nature to freedom,the kingdom of purpose will eventually be realized in this world that human beings can pursue.In Chapter 3,we will demonstrate that the idea of communism is a continuation of the idea of the kingdom of purpose by addressing the "problem of possibility" and the "problem of reality".First,there is an intrinsic connection between the kingdom of ends and communism based on practical reason and subjectivity.Second,the values of freedom and equality are the inheritance of communism from the Kingdom of Purpose.Third,there is a commonality of social goals between the Kingdom of Purpose and communism.Fourth,in international relations,the communist concept critically inherited and developed the federalism embodied in the Kingdom of Purpose concept.Therefore,the advantages of the historical reading are: first,it avoids the abstract formalization of the kingdom of ends;second,it highlights the subjective dynamism of human beings;third,it explores and applies the dialectical dynamism element in Kant’s philosophy;and fourth,the historical reading has an intrinsic and dynamic character;Fourthly,the historical reading is internally coherent;fifthly,the historical reading is externally coherent.