On Kant’s Teleological System with Humanity as Ultimate Purpose

康德在《判断力批判》中确立了一套以人为最高目的的目的论体系。他首先说明目的论体系的构建需要运用反思性判断力，并区分了外在目的论与内在目的论，以内在目的论去看待自然时，便拥有了一种整体的视角，能够将自然看作是合乎某种目的的有机存在。在寻找自然的最后目的时，康德发现自然中的一切事物都是有条件的，它们之间相互依赖，似乎并不能看出究竟什么东西能够作为自然的最后目的。为了突破这一困境，康德认为只有诉诸不依赖任何其他条件的终极目的才能够建立起完整的目的论体系，而唯一能够充当这一终极目的的，便是人的道德。至此，康德确立了一种以人的道德为最高目的的目的论体系。In the Critique of Judgment, Kant establishes a teleological system that regards humanity as the ultimate purpose. He begins by showing that the construction of any teleological framework depends on the exercise of reflective judgment, and he distinguishes between external teleology and internal teleology. When nature is considered through the lens of internal teleology, we adopt a holistic standpoint, conceiving nature as an organic whole exhibiting purposiveness. In seeking nature’s final end, Kant observes that all natural beings are contingent and mutually interdependent, so no contingent entity can serve the ultimate purpose of nature. To resolve this impasse, he argues that only an unconditioned ultimate end—one that depends on nothing else—can ground a complete teleological system. The sole candidate for such an end, Kant concludes, is human morality. Thus, he secures a teleological system in which human moral agency stands as the ultimate purpose.