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Abstract

The goal of this article is to examine the possibility of pluralism in Kant's philosophy. I will try hereby to find some new aspects of Kant's thoughts which were not well known until now and modernize them in terms of pluralism. Post-structuralists believe that Kant's reasoning has been condemned as unjustified and a failed attempt and therefore, even if there is a possibility of its restoration in other forms, it will confront the same fate. Nevertheless many philosophers, including W. Habermas, are seeking a project of reasoning that tends not to suppress the plurality. Consequently Kant's philosophy is in the center of such discussions. This quest will be successful when we find those common grounds in Kant's philosophy which will make us united while retaining our differences. Kant believes that a pluralist is a person who thinks and acts as a cosmopolitan and who is completely different from an egoist. I have found in Kant's philosophy the following aspects of pluralistic thought: First, since the possibility of logical errors in human reasoning always exist, we have to respect the thoughts of others' even though they are different from ours. Second, since human being is not regarded as the mean, but as the goal itself, we have to tolerate others as dignified beings. Third, there is a common sense in the form of judgments of the community which equals to universal agreements. This common sense contributes to heterogeneous people communicating and forming a relationship which makes us not to reject, but to accept the others. It also makes us keep our autonomy, even when we have to share the thoughts of others', because it is not coercive but persuasive. Finally, these aspects suggest that there is a possibility of developing pluralism inside Kant's philosophy. That is the reason why Kant's views can survive even in the modern times.