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On the Real Possibility of a Pure Moral Will: Maimon vs. Kant

  • Amit Kravitz
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The Concept of Will in Classical German Philosophy
This chapter is in the book The Concept of Will in Classical German Philosophy

Abstract

One of the main challenges of Kant’s moral theory is to show why a finite agent, whose will is already affected by natural driving-forces which generate pleasure, would actually choose to subordinate them to a pure driving-force - ‘respect for the moral law’ - which generates no pleasure (and even humiliates, as Kant has it). After outlining the subtle way Kant tackles this challenge I focus on Salomon Maimon’s alternative. Contrary to post-Kantian philosophers like Fichte or Schelling, Maimon does not try to trace back the ‘fact of reason’ - morality’s point of departure - to a prior metaphysical background. Rather, this ‘fact’ can be seen according to Maimon as an outcome of an observable natural driving-force (however a unique one). I then present at length Maimon’s alternative to Kant concerning the structure of a finite will and the possibility of a moral action and assess the strengths and weaknesses of Maimon’s solution, as well as its implication on his moral theory as a whole.

Abstract

One of the main challenges of Kant’s moral theory is to show why a finite agent, whose will is already affected by natural driving-forces which generate pleasure, would actually choose to subordinate them to a pure driving-force - ‘respect for the moral law’ - which generates no pleasure (and even humiliates, as Kant has it). After outlining the subtle way Kant tackles this challenge I focus on Salomon Maimon’s alternative. Contrary to post-Kantian philosophers like Fichte or Schelling, Maimon does not try to trace back the ‘fact of reason’ - morality’s point of departure - to a prior metaphysical background. Rather, this ‘fact’ can be seen according to Maimon as an outcome of an observable natural driving-force (however a unique one). I then present at length Maimon’s alternative to Kant concerning the structure of a finite will and the possibility of a moral action and assess the strengths and weaknesses of Maimon’s solution, as well as its implication on his moral theory as a whole.

Chapters in this book

  1. Frontmatter I
  2. Table of Contents V
  3. Introduction 1
  4. Part I. Kant’s Conception of Will
  5. Free Will and Determinism: A Solution to the Kantian Paradox 7
  6. Spontaneity and Contingency: Kant’s Two Models of Rational Self-Determination 29
  7. How is the Corruption of the Will Possible? Kant on Natural Dialectic and Radical Evil 49
  8. Eleutheronomy: Will, Law and Liberty in Kant’s Esoterically Political Philosophy 71
  9. Part II. The Concept of Will after Kant
  10. The Fact of Freedom: Reinhold’s Theory of Free Will Reconsidered 89
  11. On the Real Possibility of a Pure Moral Will: Maimon vs. Kant 105
  12. Drive as a Constitutive Element of Practical Action in Jacobi and Fichte 125
  13. Drive and Will in Fichte’s System of Ethics 139
  14. Reality as Resistance: The Concept of the Will in Bouterwek’s Idea of an Apodictic (1799) 159
  15. “Will is Primal Being”: Schelling’s Critical Voluntarism 181
  16. Hegel’s Logical Foundation of the Will: Reconciling Psychology and Social-Ontology 203
  17. Hegel and the Paradox of Willkür 227
  18. Ethics and Will in Schopenhauer’s Philosophy 247
  19. Index of Names 263
  20. Index of Subjects 265
  21. Notes on Contributors 269
https://doi.org/10.1515/9783110654639-007

Chapters in this book

  1. Frontmatter I
  2. Table of Contents V
  3. Introduction 1
  4. Part I. Kant’s Conception of Will
  5. Free Will and Determinism: A Solution to the Kantian Paradox 7
  6. Spontaneity and Contingency: Kant’s Two Models of Rational Self-Determination 29
  7. How is the Corruption of the Will Possible? Kant on Natural Dialectic and Radical Evil 49
  8. Eleutheronomy: Will, Law and Liberty in Kant’s Esoterically Political Philosophy 71
  9. Part II. The Concept of Will after Kant
  10. The Fact of Freedom: Reinhold’s Theory of Free Will Reconsidered 89
  11. On the Real Possibility of a Pure Moral Will: Maimon vs. Kant 105
  12. Drive as a Constitutive Element of Practical Action in Jacobi and Fichte 125
  13. Drive and Will in Fichte’s System of Ethics 139
  14. Reality as Resistance: The Concept of the Will in Bouterwek’s Idea of an Apodictic (1799) 159
  15. “Will is Primal Being”: Schelling’s Critical Voluntarism 181
  16. Hegel’s Logical Foundation of the Will: Reconciling Psychology and Social-Ontology 203
  17. Hegel and the Paradox of Willkür 227
  18. Ethics and Will in Schopenhauer’s Philosophy 247
  19. Index of Names 263
  20. Index of Subjects 265
  21. Notes on Contributors 269
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