stankovic, sasa thesis.pdf - Atrium - University of Guelph

things in themselves. But what is that knowledge? Practical knowledge does not determine the
objective validity of things in themselves from the point of view of representational knowledge:
“[practical] reason, in thus proceeding, requires no assistance from speculative reason…” (CPR
Bxxv). In other words, it is not the case that reason knows the thing in itself representationally
when it is used practically. If that were the case practical knowledge would not be knowledge
that is different in kind than representation. But it is. “Now if reason is to be a factor in these
sciences something in them must be known a priori, and this knowledge may be related to its
object in one or other of two ways, either as merely determining it and its concept (which must
be supplied from elsewhere) or as also making it actual. The former is theoretical, the latter
practical knowledge of reason” (CPR Bx). That reason knows the thing itself practically means
that it actualizes it. In this sense, practical reason actually knows the thing in itself that is
different in kind from the thing itself that the representational reason does not know. In other
words, practical reason knows the thing in itself that is not the transcendental object.
Reason thinks three things. These are God, immortality and freedom. However, it is
important to note that already in the preface to the B edition of the Critique of Pure Reason Kant
develops the positive value of reason not in relation to all three of these thoughts, but only in
relation to one of them, namely freedom (CPR xvii-xxxi). “But though I cannot know, I can yet
think freedom” (CPR Bxxviii). On the other hand, Kant argues, “the discussion as to the positive
advantage of critical principles of pure reason can be similarly developed in regard to the
concept of God and of the simple nature of our soul; but for the sake of brevity such further
discussion may be omitted” (CPR Bxxx). However, by the time of the Critique of Practical
Reason Kant recognizes that such a discussion cannot actually be developed. Reason does think
three thoughts, but it is only one of them, namely freedom that reason knows practically. “But
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