The practical standpoint

Abstract Some Kantians argue that freedom is not a metaphysical property that we might or might not possess, but instead an idea or presupposition that we must adopt from the practical standpoint. In doing so, they look to secure our freedom, no matter what science or theoretical reason reveals about us. This paper lays out two problems for this position. The problems are both metaphysical and epistemic. The metaphysical issues are that conceiving of freedom as an idea or presupposition that we must adopt from the practical standpoint makes it especially difficult to account for interaction between freedom and experience, but also why some things occupy a practical standpoint where others do not. The epistemic issue is that the standpoint view struggles to account for knowledge of freedom in experience. I contend that these problems are decisive, and that we should abandon the standpoint view of freedom.