Kant infamously claimed that all human beings, without exception, are evil by nature. This collection of essays critically examines and elucidates what he must have meant by this indictment. It shows the role which evil plays in his overall philosophical project and analyses its relation to individual autonomy. Furthermore, it explores the relevance of Kant's views for understanding contemporary questions such as crimes against humanity and moral reconstruction. Leading scholars in the field engage a wide range of sources from which a distinctly Kantian theory of evil emerges, both subtle and robust, and capable of shedding light on the complex dynamics of human immorality.
Author: Sharon Anderson-Gold Publisher: Cambridge University Press Published: 01/29/2010 Pages: 264 Binding Type: Hardcover Weight: 1.15lbs Size: 9.00h x 6.00w x 0.80d ISBN: 9780521514323
About the Author Anderson-Gold, Sharon: - Sharon Anderson-Gold is Professor and Chair at the Department of Science and Technology Studies in the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. Her previous publications include Cosmopolitanism and Human Rights (2001) and Unnecessary Evil: History and Moral Progress in the Philosophy of Immanuel Kant (2001) which was nominated for the North American Society for Social Philosophy Book Prize.Muchnik, Pablo: - Pablo Mucknik is an Assistant Professor in the Philosophy Department at Siena College, Loudonville. He is the editor of Rethinking Kant: Volume 1 (2008).