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This is the only complete English translation of Kant's major work in applied moral philosophy in which he deals with the basic principles of rights and of virtues. The Metaphysics of Morals (1797) is comprised of two parts: The Doctrines of Right which deals with the rights that people have or can acquire, and The Doctrine of Virtue which deals with the virtues they ought to acquire. Parts of the book have been translated before but this new edition is the only complete translation of the work. There is a substantial introduction that considers the relation between the two parts of the work, and extensive annotation on the unfamiliar and sometimes difficult vocabulary.
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TEXTS IN G E R M A N PHILOSOPHY
TheIS/lctaphysks of Morals Immanuel Kant
T h i s is the only c o m p l e t e E n g l i s h t r a n s l a t i o n of K a n t ' s m a j o r w o r k in applied m o r a l p h i l o s o p h y m w h i c h h e deals w i t h the basic principles of rights a n d of v i r t u e s . It s h o u l d n o t b e c o n f u s e d w i t h t h e Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Morals (1785), a n earlier w o r k w h i c h is s o m e t i m e s t r e a t e d as if it were t h e definitive s t a t e m e n t of K a n t ' s m o r a l p h i l o s o p h y b u t w h i c h , in fact, m e r e l y lays t h e f o u n d a t i o n lor the l o n g e r w o r k It is in the l o n g e r w o r k that K a n t tries to give c o n t e n t to his f o r m a l principle, the categorical imperative. The Metaphysics of Morals (1797) c o m p r i s e s two parts: the Doctrine of Right, w h i c h deals with t h e r i g h t s t h a t p e o p l e h a v e o r can a c q u i r e , a n d the Doctrine of Virtue, w h i c h d e a l s w i t h the v i r t u e s t h e y o u g h t to acquire. P a r t s have b e e n translated b e f o r e , b u t this n e w e d i t i o n is the only c o m plete translation of the w h o l e w o r k . A s u b s t a n t i a l i n t r o d u c t i o n considers t h e relation b e t w e e n the two p a r t s , a n d t h e r e is extensive a n n o t a t i o n o n the u n f a m i l i a r a n d s o m e t i m e s difficult vocabulary. G i v e n K a n t ' s status as o n e of the m o s t i m p o r t a n t m o r a l p h i l o s o p h e r s of all t i m e , the p u b l i c a t i o n of this n e w t r a n s l a t i o n will b e ol critical i m p o r t a n c e to all s t u d e n t s of ethics a n d ol legal a n d political philosophy.
C o v e r D e s i g n by K e n Farnhill
CAMBRIDGE U N I V E 1 S I T Y FftgSS
T E X T S IN GERMAN PHILOSOPHY
The Metaphysics of Morals This is the only complete English translation of Kant's major work in applied moral philosophy in which he deals with the basic principles o f rights and of virtues. It should not be confused with the Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Morals (1785), an earlier work which is sometimes treated as if it were the definitive statement of Kant's moral philosophy but which, in fact, merely lays the foundation for the longer work. It is in the longer work that Kant tries to give content to his formal principle, the categorical imperative. The Metaphysics of Morals (1797) comprises two parts: T h e Doctrine of Right, which deals with the rights that people have or can acquire, and the Doctrine of Virtue, which deals with the virtues they ought to acquire. Parts have been translated before, but this new edition is the only complete translation of the whole work. A substantial introduction considers the relation between the two parts, and there is extensive annotation on the unfamiliar and sometimes difficult vocabulary. Given Kant's status as one of the most important moral philosophers of all time, the publication of this new translation will be of critical importance to all students of ethics and of legal and political philosophy.
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