Kant's Theory of Freedom

Henry E. Allison (Author)

9780521387088, Cambridge University Press

Paperback, published 28 September 1990

320 pages
22.8 x 15.2 x 1.6 cm, 0.422 kg

'Allison has already established himself as one of the leading Kant interpreters of our time … The book is marked by originality of interpretation, by persuasiveness and sound judgement, and thus I expect the book to become an absolute standard in the field for the next generation.' Jonathan Lear, Yale University

In his new book the eminent Kant scholar Henry Allison provides an innovative and comprehensive interpretation of Kant's concept of freedom. The author analyzes the concept and discusses the role it plays in Kant's moral philosophy and psychology. He also considers in full detail the critical literature on the subject from Kant's own time to the present day. In the first part Professor Allison argues that at the centre of the Critique of Pure Reason there is the foundation for a coherent general theory of rational agency. The second part employs this account of rational agency as a key to understanding Kant's concept of moral agency and associated moral psychology. The third part focuses on Kant's attempt to ground both moral law and freedom in the Groundwork and the Critique of Practical Reason. This is a major contribution to the interpretation of Kant which will be of special interest to scholars and graduate students of Kant's moral theory.

Acknowledgments
Note on sources and key to abbreviations and translations
Introduction
Part I. Freedom and Rational Agency in the Critique of Pure Reason: 1. The third antinomy
2. Empirical and intelligible character
3. Practical and transcendental freedom
4. Two alternative interpretatuions
Part II. Moral Agency and Moral Phycology: 5. Rational and agency and autonomy
6. Duty, inclination, and respect
7. Wille, Wilkur, and Gesinnung
8. Radical evil
9. Virtue and holiness 10. The classical objections
Part III. The Justification of Morality and Freedom: 11. The reciprocity thesis
12. The deduction in Groundwork III
13. The fact of reason and the deduction of freedom
Notes
Bibliography
Index.

Subject Areas: Western philosophy: c 1600 to c 1900 [HPCD]