We have not yet advanced from moral Teleology to a Theology, _i.e._ to
the being of a moral Author of the world, but only to a final purpose
of creation which is determined in this way. But in order to account
for this creation, _i.e._ the existence of things, in accordance with
a _final purpose_, we must assume not only first an intelligent Being
(for the possibility of things of nature which we are compelled to
judge of as _purposes_), but also a _moral_ Being, as author of the
world, _i.e._ a _God_. This second conclusion is of such a character
that we see it holds merely for the Judgement according to concepts
of practical Reason, and as such for the reflective and not the
determinant Judgement. It is true that in us morally practical Reason
is essentially different in its principles from technically practical
Reason. But we cannot assume that it must be so likewise in the supreme
World-Cause, regarded as Intelligence, and that a peculiar mode of
its causality is requisite for the final purpose, different from that
which is requisite merely for purposes of nature. We cannot therefore
assume that in our final purpose we have not merely a _moral ground_
for admitting a final purpose of creation (as an effect), but also
for admitting a _moral Being_ as the original ground of creation. But
we may well say, that, _according to the constitution of our rational
faculty_, we cannot comprehend the possibility of such a purposiveness
_in respect of the moral law_, and its Object, as there is in this
final purpose, apart from an Author and Governor of the world, who is
at the same time its moral Lawgiver.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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