ABSTRACT
A popular myth concerning Immanuel Kant’s development, which helps breed the misconceptions about his true attitude towards metaphysics and theology, is that he started out as a typical Wolffian rationalist, and only began formulating his ‘Critical’ principles after being jarred by Hume out of his rationalist complacency. Kant himself openly and repeatedly affirms the theocentric orientation in his understanding of metaphysics. In 1763 he upholds ‘THERE IS A GOD’ as ‘the most important of all our cognitions’–so important that it is in no danger of being refuted by metaphysical speculation. Kant also makes it clear in numerous places that his own task is ultimately constructive with respect to theology and religion, just as it is for metaphysics in general. His famous claim ‘to deny knowledge, in order to make room for faith’ certainly implies something of this sort, especially when it is seen in context.
