尽管康德认为他自己是个基督徒,他明确否认我们能够知道(1)上帝的存在,(2)自由意志的存在,(3)永生的存在。他说我们一定要生活得犹如这三者都真实存在一样,因为我们有了这样的信仰,我们就会认真地对待道德,否则我们就不会。这种因纯粹实用主义的理由而将信仰合理化是个糟糕的错误。康德信仰上帝不是因为这种信仰是真实的,而是因为这样的信仰有益处。那为啥不信圣诞老人呢?假如我是上帝,我会更喜欢一个诚实的无神论者,而不喜欢一个不诚实的有神论者。对我来说,康德是个不诚实的有神论者,因为相信某事的唯一诚实的理由就是因为这件事的真实存在。
Though Kant thought of himself as a Christian, he explicitly denied that we could know that there really exists (1) God, (2) free will, and (3) immorality. He said we must live as if these three ideas were true because if we believe them we will take morality seriously, and if we don't we will not. It is this justification of belief by purely practical reasons that is a terrible mistake. Kant believes in God not because it is true but because it is helpful. Why not believe in Santa Claus then? If I were God, I would favor an honest atheist over a dishonest theist, and Kant is to my mind a dishonest theist, because there is only one honest reason for believing anything: because it is true.