Symbolic Representation in Kant's Practical Philosophy

Explores in detail the role that symbolic representation plays in the architecture of Kant's philosophy.

Heiner Bielefeldt (Author)

9780521818131, Cambridge University Press

Hardback, published 29 May 2003

216 pages
23.6 x 15.9 x 1.8 cm, 0.427 kg

'The author's blend of German and Anglo-American Kant scholarship is impressive, as is also his mastery of different areas of the Kantian corpus (e.g. aesthetics, religion, ethics, politics, history) which - in an age of increasing specialization - are often artificially separated … it makes a solid contribution to an important and under-explored area of Kant's practical philosophy - one that will be of interest not only to Kant scholars but also to moral and political philosophers, as well as to philosophers of religion.' Robert Louden, University of Southern Maine

This book is the first to explore in detail the role that symbolic representation plays in the architecture of Kant's philosophy. Symbolic representation fulfills a crucial function in Kant's practical philosophy because it serves to mediate between the unconditionality of the categorical imperative and the inescapable finiteness of the human being. By showing how the nature of symbolic representation plays out across all areas of the practical philosophy - moral philosophy, legal philosophy, philosophy of history and philosophy of religion - Heiner Bielefeldt offers a unique perspective on how these various facets of Kant's philosophy cohere.

1. Introduction
2. Kant's socratic enlightenment
3. The law of freedom
4. How to find orientation in moral practice
5. The order of right as a symbol of human dignity
6. Traces of purposiveness in nature and history
7. Symbolism in the philosophy of religion
8. Conclusion.

Subject Areas: Philosophy [HP]