Kant: The Metaphysics of Morals (Cambridge Texts in the History of Philosophy)

by Immanuel Kant, J W D 1842 Semple, Immanuel 1724-1804 Kant, et al.

Book Overview

One of Immanuel Kant's classic works exploring the nature and content of ethics. This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0521566738
• Release Date: May 1996
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press
• Length: 280 Pages
• Weight: 1.00 lbs.
• Dimensions: 9.0" x 0.6" x 6.0"

Customer Reviews

well......

i bought this, read about 20 pages, then found out that there was an introduction to the metaphysics of morals that Kant wrote. I read the introduction of the metaphysics of morals about 2 times before i understood it, and never messed with this one anymore. the fundamental philosophies to Kant's proposed universal morals are all in his introduction to the meta of morals.

Understand Kantian ethics, not for the feint of heart

I read this book for a graduate seminar on Ethics. This is the best translation!!! In "The Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Morals," Kant astutely observes how ordinary people speak about morality. He argues, ordinary people's views are presupposed about morality, that there is one supreme moral principle it is the "Categorical Imperative" which is discussed in section two of the book. In section one, he talks about value, and special regard or esteem we have for someone who does the right things. Sometimes, people do the right things for wrong reasons. He is interested in what has to be true for an action to have moral worth. He has a kind of criticism of Utilitarians. Utilitarians say you can talk about what is good, i.e., happiness, before talking about what is right or moral. For Kantians "right" comes prior to the question of what is good. One must bring morality in before talking about the good. Talent and ability is good if put to good use, it can also be bad; for example computer hackers creating "viruses." Only one thing is good in and of itself unconditionally, which is a good "will" which means the will of a person who wants to do the right thing. Even if the plan doesn't work out they still have good will. They desire to do the right thing because it is the right thing. Kant argues that action has moral worth only if it is done out of respect for duty. For example, if a shopkeeper is honest in an effort to look good to customers he did the right thing, but only in "conformity with duty." He acted out of inclination. If the shopkeeper is honest out of being nice or likes kids then his action is still done out of inclination because he "likes to do it," but his moral worth is less in the action. The shopkeeper who has moral worth is the one who is honest because it was the right thing to do. Kant's 2nd proposition is that an action gets its moral worth from its "maxim." Maxim is a technical term for Kant; maxim is a kind of principle that explains why someone does something. Kant thinks that whenever we act on an action there always is some maxim that we are acting on. So you can think of a maxim as having the form: I will do A (some kind of action) in C (some set of circumstances) for P. (for some purpose). Now it is not as if normally when you act you formulate to yourself here is my maxim, here is what I am acting on. However, Kant thinks that when you do something there is some maxim that describes your choice. Therefore, Kant thinks there is an underlying maxim there, and it is this maxim Kant thinks that is the real decider about whether your action has moral worth or not. Only actions with the right maxim he thinks have moral worth. Kant's3rd proposition is that duty is the necessity of acting out of respect for law, (not government law). Kant thinks that actions get there moral worth from being done out of respect for a "universal moral law" that is binding on all rational beings. This is the

As promised

The book arrived timely and in great condition. I would purchase from this seller again.

Small pieces of a big puzzle

It is nice to be able to buy books from a publisher that believes in doing things right, even if the books might be a bit obscure for all the usual reasons. Having purchased the Great Books Volume 39 on Kant earlier this year, which was an economical collection that included his three most famous volumes as well as Fundamental Principles of the Metaphysic of Morals (1785) and Preface and Introduction to the Metaphysical Elements of Ethics translated by Thomas Kingsmill Abbott, which are works that Kant's THE METAPHYSICS OF MORALS in the Cambridge Texts in the History of Philosophy does not include, it is interesting to see how these two books still manage to overlap. The Great Books Kant includes a translation (1887) by W. Hastie of Kant's 1797 works General Introduction to the Metaphysic of Morals (pp. 383-394) and The Science of Right (pp. 395-458). This book contains Mary Gregor's translation of the same text on pages 1-124. Since Abraham Lincoln was President of the United States in 1861-65, Americans have tended to think that everybody who was important to us would be living in the same country, and democracy would allow the majority to dictate the basic laws which everyone would have to adhere to. Kant has to come up with rules for wars between states that need to maintain a balance of power, but his result is to deny economic motives. "The reason there cannot be a war of subjugation is not that this extreme measure a state might use to achieve a condition of peace would in itself contradict the right of a state; it is rather that the idea of the right of nations involves only the concept of an antagonism in accordance with principles of outer freedom by which each can preserve what belongs to it, but not a way of acquiring, by which one state's increase of power could threaten others." (section 56, p. 117). A written constitution ought to be more powerful than treaties "which can be dissolved at any time, not a federation (like that of the American states) which is based on a constitution and can therefore not be dissolved." (section 61, p. 120). Somehow Kant lacked the idea that heads of state would regularly be deprived of their rule and punished for official acts. "The sovereign can also take the ruler's authority away from him, depose him, or reform his administration. But it cannot punish him . . .; for punishment is, again, an act of the executive authority, which has the supreme capacity to exercise coercion in conformity with the law, and it would be self-contradictory for him to be subject to coercion." (section 49, p. 94). If the ultimate weapons wipe out life on the planet, we would find ourselves in a condition already imagined by Kant: "Accordingly, every murderer--anyone who commits murder, orders it, or is an accomplice in it -- must suffer death; this is what justice, as the idea of judicial authority wills in accordance with universal laws that are grounded a priori. -- If, however, the number of accomplices

Excellent book!

All of Kant's works are outstanding, but what makes the versions of Kant's works good or bad (that I can read) is the translator. Since this book is the only complete translation of both parts of "The Metaphysics of Morals," I had doubts about its quality. But, as I found out, this book has been translated smoothly -- although I cannot compare it with the German version. What I like about Mary Gregor's translation, is her use of footnotes. She clearly defines Latin phrases and the layered meanings of German words whose depth and meaning would be in too hasty of a translation. Also, she introduces Kant's main ideas very well; and by doing so, expands and clarifies the ideas he presents in his treatise. The footnotes are not excessive; Gregor seems to have balanced them well. The presentation of the footnotes, typography, and the library grade (acid free) paper make this book a keeper.