Lo común en Kant (Comentarios al margen del texto de Kersting)

Abstract

Kant´s notion of community is more complex than what is suggested by a hasty political thought. In the alternative between the two possible meanings of this notion, communio and commercium (respectively referring to a predominant substantial community and a reciprocal interaction among individuals substantial in themselves), Kant advocates for the latter. However, we cannot deduce from this that the kantian stance should be equated without further ado with that of those who defend liberalism, as opposed to the communitarians. Kant aims also at the formation of a sphere of commonness which encompasses the concepts of justice, truth, beauty and the good. Nevertheless, such a sphere doesn’t preexist to the interaction of individuals in the context of civil society; on the contrary, it springs from the successful moral encounters in that same context. Kant´s stance could be described as critical republicanism, one that aims at the formation of civil links among citizens at the same time that criticizes all forms of dogmatic expression of community. Such a type of dynamic community of rational beings establishes its links through the construction of a common sense able to lay the foundations of consent. Without this, critical rationality would be a purely destructive activity.