Kant's Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Morals: A Commentary

by Jens Timmermann

• ISBN13: 9780521175081
• ISBN10: 0521175089
• Edition: Reprint
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2010-12-09
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Summary

The Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Morals is Kant's central contribution to moral philosophy, and has inspired controversy ever since it was first published in 1785. Kant champions the insights of 'common human understanding' against what he sees as the dangerous perversions of ethical theory. Morality is revealed to be a matter of human autonomy: Kant locates the source of the 'categorical imperative' within each and every human will. However, he also portrays everyday morality in a way that many readers find difficult to accept. The Groundwork is a short book, but its argument is dense, intricate and at times treacherous. This commentary explains Kant's arguments paragraph by paragraph, and also contains an introduction, a synopsis of the argument, six short interpretative essays on key topics of the Groundwork, and a glossary of key terms. It will be an indispensable tool for anyone wishing to study the Groundwork in detail.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgements	p. viii
Note on quotations from Kant's works	p. ix
Introduction	p. xi
Kant's Groundwork: synopsis of the argument	p. xxix
Commentary
Preface	p. 1
Transition from common to philosophic moral cognition of reason	p. 15
Transition from popular moral philosophy to the metaphysics of morals	p. 50
Transition from the metaphysics of morals to the critique of pure practical reason	p. 120
Schiller's scruples of conscience	p. 152
The pervasiveness of morality	p. 155
Universal legislation, ends and puzzle maxims	p. 157
'Indirect duty': Kantian consequentialism	p. 161
Freedom and moral failure: Reinhold and Sidgwick	p. 164
The project of a 'metaphysics of morals'	p. 168
Glossary	p. 173
Bibliography	p. 184
Index	p. 188
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