Author Description
The notion of the highest good used to occupy a primary role in ethical theorising, but has largely disappeared from the contemporary landscape. The notion was central to both Aristotle's and Kant's ethical theories, however—a surprising observation given that their approaches to ethics are commonly conceived as being diametrically opposed. The essays in this collection provide a comprehensive treatment of the highest good in Aristotle and Kant and show that, even though there are important differences in terms of content, there are also important similarities in terms of the structural features of Aristotle's and Kant's value theories. By carefully analysing Aristotle's and Kant's theories of the highest good, a team of experts in the field shed light on their respective ethical theories and highlight the richness, complexity, and fruitfulness of the notion of the highest good.
Menrva's Summary
THE THESIS
This collection investigates the role and structural significance of the 'highest good' within the ethical frameworks of Aristotle and Kant, questioning why a concept once central to moral philosophy has largely vanished from contemporary discourse. Editors Joachim Aufderheide and Ralf M. Bader curate a series of essays from leading scholars who examine the intersection of Aristotelian and Kantian value theories. By comparing these two seemingly opposed ethical systems, the contributors demonstrate that both philosophers share underlying structural similarities regarding the highest good despite their divergent content. The text serves as a rigorous academic inquiry into the historical and theoretical evolution of moral teleology.
THE SCOPE MAP
What You Will Find
- Comparative analysis of Aristotelian eudaimonia and Kantian moral worth
- Structural examination of value theory in classical and enlightenment philosophy
- Scholarly essays addressing the integration of virtue and duty
- Historical context regarding the decline of the highest good in modern ethics
Scope Limits
- Does not provide a general introduction to ethics for lay readers
- Does not attempt to reconcile all contradictions between the two philosophers
- Focuses primarily on the specific concept of the highest good rather than comprehensive biographies
THE AUTHORITY PERSPECTIVE
Experts in the field recognize this volume as a specialized contribution to the study of moral philosophy, particularly for those interested in the bridge between ancient and modern ethics. Readers frequently note the academic density of the prose, which is tailored for scholars and advanced students of philosophy.
Page Count:
255
Publication Date:
2015-01-01
Publisher:
OUP Oxford
ISBN-10:
0191054593
ISBN-13:
9780191054594
Philosophy
Ethics
Aristotle
History & Surveys
Immanuel Kant
Modern Philosophy