Kantian Virtue at the Intersection of Politics and Nature
Title Details

178 Pages

22.8 x 15.2 cm

Series: North American Kant Society Studies in Philosophy

Series Vol. Number: 7

Imprint: University of Rochester Press

Kantian Virtue at the Intersection of Politics and Nature

The Vale of Soul-Making

by Scott Roulier

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An examination on how virtue is acquired in Kant's ethics.

In Kant's philosophy, virtue is defined as the moral strength or resolve to adopt obligatory ends and to act upon only those maxims that can apply equally to all. But how is virtue acquired? To answer this question, this projectturns to Kant's moral anthropology, broadly conceived, in which he considers those "subjective conditions in human nature" that both facilitate and hinder the quest for virtue.Tailored to the specific constitution of human beings,then, are a number of moral-anthropological strategies for strengthening and promoting moral principles. Drawing on Kant's own discussions and the work of several contemporary interpreters this study identifies key approaches tocharacter formation. The central concern of the project, however, is to investigate the roles Kant suggests the larger social-political and natural settings -- that is, the dynamic and inspiring contexts of natural beauty, law andpolitical discourse -- play in the process of virtue acquisition.
The story of politics' and nature's influence on virtue acquisition leads into intriguing and, given traditional understandings of Kant, unexpected territory.This study also takes up the question of reciprocal relations: Once acquired, What support, if any, does virtue provide for politics and nature? With the goal of highlighting what may be valuable in a Kantian approach tothe environment, the book assesses the workability of alternative ethical paradigms, e.g. bio- and ecocentric philosophies, and concludes that, while both schools of thought challenge anthropocentric assumptions in helpful ways, they are ultimately flawed. By engaging in this kind of critique, this study creates a plausibility structure for re-considering the merits of a Kantian approach.

Scott Roulier is Associate Professor of Political Science at Lyon College.
Kant's Theory of Virtue and Its Acquisition
Promoting Virtue: Public Justice and Political Participation
Nature's Moral Influence: History, Beauty, and the Sublime
Shoring Up the Liberal State: Why Virtue Matters
Kantian Character and the Environment
"This is a valuable book for seminars in philosophy, political science, ethics, law, and environmental science." GERMAN STUDIES REVIEW, 2006

Paperback

9781580461788

October 2004

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Title Details

178 Pages

2.28 x 1.52 cm

Series: North American Kant Society Studies in Philosophy

Series Vol. Number: 7

Imprint: University of Rochester Press