Kant's Impure Ethics From Rational Beings to Human Beings

by Louden, Robert B.

• ISBN13: 9780195160307
• ISBN10: 0195160304
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2002-11-28
• Publisher: Oxford University Press

Summary

This is the first book-length study in any language to examine in detail and critically assess the second part of Kant's ethics--an empirical, impure part, which determines how best to apply pure principles to the human situation. Drawing attention to Kant's under-explored impure ethics, thisrevealing investigation refutes the common and long-standing misperception that Kants ethics advocates empty formalism. Making detailed use of a variety of Kantian texts never before translated into English, author Robert B. Louden reassesses the strengths and weaknesses of Kantian ethics as awhole, once the second part is re-admitted to its rightful place within Kant's practical philosophy.

Table of Contents

Abbreviations	xv
Part I: Introduction
What Is Impure Ethics?	3	(30)
Pure and Applied Philosophy	3	(2)
Tracking Kant's Impure Ethics	5	(5)
Degrees and Kinds of Impurity	10	(6)
Nature and Freedom	16	(4)
Why Impure Ethics?	20	(6)
Fields of Impurity	26	(4)
Saved by Impurity?	30	(3)
Part II: Fields of Impurity
Education	33	(29)
Education as Impure Ethics	33	(3)
Rousseauian Roots	36	(2)
The Stages of Education	38	(6)
Experimentation and Revolution	44	(3)
Didactics, Ascetics, Casuistry, Judgment	47	(6)
The Education of Humanity	53	(9)
Anthropology	62	(45)
Origins	62	(2)
Which Anthropology?	64	(10)
Individual Character	74	(8)
Sex/Gender	82	(5)
Peoples	87	(6)
Races	93	(8)
``The Whole Human Race'': Kant and Moral Universality	101	(6)
Art and Religion	107	(33)
Art as a Human Phenomenon	108	(1)
Art as Preparation for Morality	109	(5)
Beauty as Symbol of Morality	114	(4)
Morality and the Sublime	118	(7)
The Church as Moral Community	125	(7)
``On the Radical Evil in Human Nature''	132	(8)
History	140	(27)
The Assumption of Purpose	141	(3)
External Progress and Internal Progress	144	(9)
The Means of Progress	153	(4)
Citizens of the World?	157	(4)
Making the World Moral: The Highest Good	161	(6)
Part III: Conclusion
Saved by Impurity?	167	(16)
An Empirically Informed Ethical Theory	167	(3)
A More Useful Ethical Theory	170	(1)
Recognition of Human Dependence	171	(1)
Recognition of Institutional and Communitarian Aspects of Human Morality	172	(1)
A More Contiguous History of Practical Philosophy	173	(2)
Incompleteness	175	(1)
Lack of Empirical Detail	176	(1)
Universality and Prejudice	177	(1)
Universality and Cultural Location	178	(2)
Internal Coherence	180	(2)
Conclusion	182	(1)
Notes	183	(49)
Bibliography	232	(14)
Index	246