Skip to content
Licensed Unlicensed Requires Authentication Published by De Gruyter April 5, 2009

What Is Kant: A Compatibilist Or An Incompatibilist? A new interpretation of Kant's solution to the free will problem

  • Simon Shengjian Xie
From the journal Kant-Studien

Abstract

There are generally two controversial issues over Kant's solution to the free will problem. One is over whether he is a compatibilist or an incompatibilist and the other is over whether his solution is a success. In this paper, I will argue, regarding the first controversy, that “compatibilist” and “incompatibilist” are not the right terms to describe Kant for his unique views on freedom and determinism; but that of the two, incompatibilist is the more accurate description. Regarding the second controversy, I will argue that Kant's solution to the free will problem is not a success because his effort in making the effects of freedom part of the field of appearance has made his solution incoherent and ambiguous. Despite this, I argue that Kant's attempt to solve the free will problem is groundbreaking because he at least has separated freedom from the dominance of determinism.

Published Online: 2009-04-05
Published in Print: 2009-March

© Walter de Gruyter 2009

Downloaded on 16.5.2024 from https://www.degruyter.com/document/doi/10.1515/KANT.2009.003/html
Scroll to top button