Understanding Kant's Groundwork

Immanuel Kant's Groundwork for the Metaphysics of Morals is widely regarded as one of the most influential works in the history of moral philosophy. Indeed, any student of ethics will soon encounter a translation of the book, although trying to read it is likely to cause bewilderment. What, one may ask, is Kant trying to say? This book provides the answers. Here, seven highly regarded teachers and scholars of Kant's ethics offer remarkably clear explanations of the most important concepts in the Groundwork: the good will, happiness, duty, hypothetical and categorical imperatives, the Formula of Universal Law, the Formula of Humanity, and freedom.

Contents:

• Preface
• The Good Will, Nataliya Palatnik
• Happiness, Anne Margaret Baxley
• Duty, Laura Papish
• Imperatives, Tamar Schapiro
• The Formula of Universal Law, Kyla Ebels-Duggan
• The Formula of Humanity, Japa Pallikkathayil
• Freedom, Lucy Allais
• About the Contributors
• Index

Steven M. Cahn is Professor of Philosophy at the Graduate Center of the City University of New York.