Kant's Anatomy of Evil

Description

Kant infamously claimed that all human beings, without exception, are evil by nature. This collection of essays critically examines and elucidates what he must have meant by this indictment. It shows the role which evil plays in his overall philosophical project and analyses its relation to individual autonomy. Furthermore, it explores the relevance of Kant's views for understanding contemporary questions such as crimes against humanity and moral reconstruction. Leading scholars in the field engage a wide range of sources from which a distinctly Kantian theory of evil emerges, both subtle and robust, and capable of shedding light on the complex dynamics of human immorality.

Sharon Anderson-Gold is Professor and Chair at the Department of Science and Technology Studies in the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. Her previous publications include Cosmopolitanism and Human Rights (2001) and Unnecessary Evil: History and Moral Progress in the Philosophy of Immanuel Kant (2001) which was nominated for the North American Society for Social Philosophy Book Prize. Pablo Mucknik is an Assistant Professor in the Philosophy Department at Siena College, Loudonville. He is the editor of Rethinking Kant: Volume 1 (2008).

"... Kant's Anatomy of Evil resoundingly succeeds in showing the depth of Kant's resources for dealing with the problem of moral evil. Anyone with a professional interest in Kant's practical philosophy should read it." --Robert Gressis, California State University, Northridge, Notre Dame Philosophical Reviews