Can Kantian Laws Be Broken?

Abstract

In this paper I explore Kant's critical discussions of the topic of miracles (including the important but ne- glected fragment from the 1780s called On Miracles) in an effort to answer the question in the title. Along the way I discuss some of the different kinds of in Kant's system, and also the argument for his claim that, even if empirical miracles do occur, we will never be in a good position to identify instances of them. I conclude with some tentative remarks about the notorious suggestion that intelligible finite agents, too, might have some sort of influence over the laws of nature. The goal throughout is to show that exploring Kant's answer to a traditional question in philosophical theology can deepen our under- standing of his metaphysics and epistemology of nature generally.

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