Giving Myself a Law: Nietzsche, self-respect, and the problem with Kant's universalism

Iride: Filosofia e Discussione Pubblica 2 (2) (2018)
  Copy   BIBTEX

Abstract

This paper offers a new interpretation of Nietzsche’s criticisms of Kant’s account of freedom and renders these criticisms in such a way as to pose a serious challenge to Kantian ethics. My first aim is to explain Nietzsche’s challenge to the principle that being free means acting as a free agent ought to act, which I call Kant’s universalism. My second aim is to show that Kant’s accounts of self-respect is a particularly unconvincing account of how we can make room for virtues within a universalistic framework, and thereby persuade the Kantian that there is something wrong with the underlying universalism principle.

Author's Profile

Matt Bennett
University of Essex

Analytics

Added to PP
2019-09-24

Downloads
360 (#42,653)

6 months
88 (#41,632)

Historical graph of downloads since first upload
This graph includes both downloads from PhilArchive and clicks on external links on PhilPapers.
How can I increase my downloads?