On Friday October 30, Prof. Dr. Marcus Willaschek (Frankfurt) will give a talk at the University of Amsterdam.

Title

Kantian Autonomy without Self-Legislation of the Moral Law

Time

Friday October 30, 4.15 pm

Venue

BH 1.01
Bungehuis
Spuistraat 210
1012 VT Amsterdam

Abstract

Kantian autonomy is typically understood as self-legislation of the moral law. Whether ‘self-legislation’ is understood in a constructivist sense, as ‘creating’ the moral law, or in a realist sense, as the moral law’s being ‘rooted in the nature of practical reason’, interpreters generally agree that Kant holds that the moral law is self-legislated. This raises various thorny problems that have been the subject of intense discussion in the literature. Who gives the moral law to whom? And in what sense is the moral law ‘given’? This talk, which is based on a paper co-authored with Pauline Kleingeld (Groningen), will argue that these questions are misguided. Kant never claims that the moral law is self-legislated. Instead, autonomy consists in adopting maxims in accordance with the moral law—that is, maxims that can simultaneously be willed as universal laws. Relevant passages will be discussed to show that Kant does not claim that the moral law itself is self-legislated, and it will explained why this does not have the implication that the moral law is heteronomous.

All are welcome. Drinks will be served afterwards.

For information, please contact Matthé Scholten: m.scholten@uva.nl