Kant e a Defesa da Causa de Deus: algumas considerações acerca do opúsculo kantiano sobre a teodiceia

The article On the Miscarriage of All Philosophical Trials in Theodicy was published in 1791 on the pages of the monthly periodical berlinische Monatsschrift. By itself, the title of the article already seems to us quite enlightening. What would it be but a criticism of every attempt to justify the God's cause? Nevertheless, there are evidences that there is much more at stake. Thus, the purpose of this paper is to raise the question about the true meaning of the Kant`s text, arguing in favor of the fact that, for some reasons, the essay should not be interpreted exclusively as a criticism, but otherwise as a effort to establish a positive foundation of theodicy. If, indeed, the limits of reason prohibit any attempt to defend the good cause of God by speculative means, on the other hand, practical reason opens the way, throught of the concept of a "authentic theodicy", to answer the objections which the experience raises against the government and justice of God. My purpose, from this, is to stress the important role of theodicy in the system of reason of Kantian philosophy.