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2. Kant's Doctrine of Right: Introduction

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Immanuel Kant: Metaphysische Anfangsgründe der Rechtslehre
This chapter is in the book Immanuel Kant: Metaphysische Anfangsgründe der Rechtslehre
19Kant’s Doctrine of Right: IntroductionThe first part of Kant’s Metaphysics of Morals – the ‘Doctrine ofRight’ or ‘Metaphysical First Grounds of Right’ was first pub-lished early in 1797, well in advance of the second part, whichcame out in August, and the whole work did not appear until thefollowing year. The Preface and Introduction to the larger work(205–228) are followed by a second Introduction laying downthe basic principle of right and the structure of the system ofright (229–241). But because the first and more encompassingIntroduction (which is the topic of this chapter) was writteninitially as an introduction to its first part alone (the Doctrine ofRight), a certain ambiguity infects its contents. It deals withconceptions, both ethical and psychological, that are funda-mental to the whole of practical philosophy, but they are some-times occupied more with the implications of these conceptionsfor issues of external right than with their general significancefor ethics.2.1 Preface (205–210)The first two paragraphs of Kant’s Preface locate the Doctrineof Right in the system. Kant also anticipates the Introduction,informing us that it will try to prepare us for the “form” of thesystem which is to follow. Kant envisioned the Metaphysics ofMorals as having a role in the system of philosophy analogous tothat of the Metaphysical First Principles of Natural Science (1786);Allen W. WoodKant’s Doctrine of Right:Introduction2

19Kant’s Doctrine of Right: IntroductionThe first part of Kant’s Metaphysics of Morals – the ‘Doctrine ofRight’ or ‘Metaphysical First Grounds of Right’ was first pub-lished early in 1797, well in advance of the second part, whichcame out in August, and the whole work did not appear until thefollowing year. The Preface and Introduction to the larger work(205–228) are followed by a second Introduction laying downthe basic principle of right and the structure of the system ofright (229–241). But because the first and more encompassingIntroduction (which is the topic of this chapter) was writteninitially as an introduction to its first part alone (the Doctrine ofRight), a certain ambiguity infects its contents. It deals withconceptions, both ethical and psychological, that are funda-mental to the whole of practical philosophy, but they are some-times occupied more with the implications of these conceptionsfor issues of external right than with their general significancefor ethics.2.1 Preface (205–210)The first two paragraphs of Kant’s Preface locate the Doctrineof Right in the system. Kant also anticipates the Introduction,informing us that it will try to prepare us for the “form” of thesystem which is to follow. Kant envisioned the Metaphysics ofMorals as having a role in the system of philosophy analogous tothat of the Metaphysical First Principles of Natural Science (1786);Allen W. WoodKant’s Doctrine of Right:Introduction2

Chapters in this book

  1. Front Matter i
  2. 1. Einführung 1
  3. 2. Kant's Doctrine of Right: Introduction 19
  4. 3. Der kategorische Rechtsimperativ 41
  5. 4. Dividing and Deriving in Kant's Rechtslehre 63
  6. 5. Erkenntnis der Art, etwas Äußeres als das Seine zu haben 87
  7. 6. Von der Art, etwas Äußeres zu erwerben, insbesondere vom Sachenrecht 117
  8. 7. §§ 18–31, Episodischer Abschnitt, §§ 32–40 133
  9. 8. Kant, Citizenship, and Freedom 155
  10. 9. Kommentar zum Staatsrecht (II) 173
  11. 10. Funktionen, Befugnisse und Zwecke der Staatsverwaltung. 195
  12. 11. Vom Straf- und Begnadigungsrecht 213
  13. 12. Das Völkerrecht (§§ 53–61) 235
  14. 13. Das Weltbürgerrecht (§ 62) und Beschluß 257
  15. 14. Ist Kants Rechtsphilosophie noch aktuell? 279
  16. Back Matter 293
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https://doi.org/10.1524/9783050050379.19

Chapters in this book

  1. Front Matter i
  2. 1. Einführung 1
  3. 2. Kant's Doctrine of Right: Introduction 19
  4. 3. Der kategorische Rechtsimperativ 41
  5. 4. Dividing and Deriving in Kant's Rechtslehre 63
  6. 5. Erkenntnis der Art, etwas Äußeres als das Seine zu haben 87
  7. 6. Von der Art, etwas Äußeres zu erwerben, insbesondere vom Sachenrecht 117
  8. 7. §§ 18–31, Episodischer Abschnitt, §§ 32–40 133
  9. 8. Kant, Citizenship, and Freedom 155
  10. 9. Kommentar zum Staatsrecht (II) 173
  11. 10. Funktionen, Befugnisse und Zwecke der Staatsverwaltung. 195
  12. 11. Vom Straf- und Begnadigungsrecht 213
  13. 12. Das Völkerrecht (§§ 53–61) 235
  14. 13. Das Weltbürgerrecht (§ 62) und Beschluß 257
  15. 14. Ist Kants Rechtsphilosophie noch aktuell? 279
  16. Back Matter 293
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