Tang Chun-I Visiting Professorship Departmental Seminar: Humanity, Right, and Ethics

Abstract:

For Kant, “Right,” or coercively enforceable civil and criminal law, and “Ethics,” our non-coercively enforceable duties to self and others, are the two parts of morality as a whole, with a common foundation in our fundamental obligation to treat “humanity” in both ourselves and others always as an end and never merely as a means.  In this seminar we will explore the structure of his basic arguments in both Right and Ethics to see how they are each grounded in the moral status of humanity, and how the concept of humanity must be understood in order for his arguments to work.  We will further explore what can be expected from the enforcement of law, and what must be left to the moral motivation of both power-holders and ordinary citizens in a “civil condition” or state.

Background for the seminar will be provided by three of my forthcoming but not yet published papers, “Enforcing the Law of Nature,” “Morality, Right, and Responsibility,” and “Humanity, Right, and Ethics.”  These papers will be made available in advance of the seminar.

Conducted in English
All are welcome