
Kant's 'Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Morals'
A Critical Guide
Jens Timmermann(Editor)
Cambridge University Press
Published on 24. December 2009
Book
Hardback
244 pages
978-0-521-87801-2 (ISBN)
Article exhausted; check for reprint
Description
In his Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Morals, Immanuel Kant portrays the supreme moral principle as an unconditional imperative that applies to all of us because we freely choose to impose upon ourselves a law of pure practical reason. Morality is revealed to be a matter of autonomy. Today, this approach to ethical theory is as perplexing, controversial and inspiring as it was in 1785, when the Groundwork was first published. The essays in this volume, by international Kant scholars and moral philosophers, discuss Kant's philosophical development and his rejection of earlier moral theories, the role of happiness and inclination in the Groundwork, Kant's moral metaphysics and theory of value, and his attempt to justify the categorical imperative as a principle of freedom. They reflect the approach of several schools of interpretation and illustrate the lively diversity of Kantian ethics today.
Reviews / Votes
'This collection of essays is diverse and engaging. The essays are of wide theoretical interest and deftly address issues of interpretation along with broader normative issues arising from Kant's Groundwork. Striking a nice balance of interpretive and normative concerns, each essay draws on a wide variety of sources, including not only Kant, but also his sympathetic commentators and his detractors. Those in either camp are well-advised to give these essays their attention.' Notre Dame Philosophical ReviewsMore details
Series
Language
English
Place of publication
Cambridge
United Kingdom
Target group
Professional and scholarly
Dimensions
Height: 235 mm
Width: 158 mm
Thickness: 20 mm
Weight
530 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-521-87801-2 (9780521878012)
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Person
Jens Timmermann is Senior Lecturer in Moral Philosophy at the University of St Andrews. He is the author of Kant's 'Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Morals': A Commentary (Cambridge, 2007) and Sittengesetz und Freiheit (2003) as well as the editor of Immanuel Kant, Kritik der Reinen Vernunft (1998) and Immanuel Kant, Grundlegung zur Metaphysik der Sitten (2004).
Content
Abbreviations; List of contributors; Introduction Jens Timmermann; 1. Ethics and anthropology in the development of Kant's moral philosophy Manfred Kuehn; 2. Happiness in the Groundwork Alison Hills; 3. Acting from duty: inclination, reason and moral worth Jens Timmermann; 4. Making the law visible: the role of examples in Kant's ethics Robert B. Louden; 5. The moral law as causal law Robert N. Johnson; 6. Dignity and the formula of humanity Oliver Sensen; 7. Kant's kingdom of ends: metaphysical, not political Katrin Flikschuh; 8. Kant against the 'spurious principles of morality' J. B. Schneewind; 9. Autonomy and impartiality: Groundwork III John Skorupski; 10. Problems with freedom: Kant's argument in Groundwork III and its subsequent emendation Paul Guyer; 11. Freedom and reason in Groundwork III Frederick Rauscher.