Baumgarten’s Philosophical Ethics A Critical Translation
Produktdetaljer
Biografisk notat
Alexander Baumgarten (1714-1762) was among the first to teach the controversial philosophy of Christian Wolff (1679-1754). By order of the king, he moved to Frankfurt on the Oder in 1739, where he remained until his death in 1762. His most influential philosophical works are Metaphysics (1739), Philosophical Ethics (1740) and Aesthetics (2 Vols, 1750 and 1757). Today Baumgarten is also regarded as a central founder of modern aesthetics.
John Hymers is Associate Professor of Philosophy at La Salle University, USA. He is the co-editor and translator of Metaphysics: A Critical Translation (Bloomsbury, 2012), Preparation for Natural Theology (Bloomsbury, 2016) and Baumgarten's Elements of First Practical Philosophy (Bloomsbury, 2020).
Kant was long alone at the University of Königsberg in using Baumgarten’s <i>Philosophical Ethics</i> for teaching. With the first modern translation of this textbook, John Hymers meets the highest editorial standards. His volume will be groundbreaking for further research, as it provides a unique insight into the genesis and context of Kant's moral philosophy.
Clemens Schwaiger, Professor of Philosophy, Catholic University of Applied Sciences Munich, Germany
Kant did not write about ethical duties in a vacuum, and now students and scholars can see his most used source for themselves with this excellent translation. Kant’s lectures on ethics can best be understood by holding open this book as Kant himself did in the classroom.
Frederick Rauscher, Professor of Philosophy, Michigan State University, USA
An incredibly rich resource for anyone interested in eighteenth-century ethics in general and Kant’s practical philosophy in particular — highly recommended!
Jens Timmermann, Professor of Moral Philosophy, The University of St Andrews, UK
Alexander Baumgarten’s Ethica Philosophica (1740) served as a chief textbook of philosophical instruction in German universities for several decades, and was used by Immanuel Kant for his lectures on moral philosophy between 1759 and 1794. Now translated into English for the first time, John Hymers explores the extent of Baumgarten's influence on the development of German philosophy.
Accompanied by an introduction to Baumgarten and his work, this translation features an explanation of the main themes of the Ethica Philosophica, touching upon its relation to Christian Wolff and G.F. Meier’s practical philosophy, but focusing especially on its role in Kant’s lectures. First-time translations of elucidatory passages from the writings of Meier, Wolff, and Heinrich Köhler appear together with the relevant transcriptions of Kant’s lectures on ethics.
Based on a thorough knowledge of the original text, Hymers' clear translation and supporting material makes it possible to distinguish Kant’s own remarks and insights from his attempts to expound and summarize Baumgarten’s ideas. This is a much-needed contribution for anyone working in the history of modern philosophy.
Series Editors’ Preface
Acknowledgments
Abbreviations
Translator’s Introduction to the BEP
This Volume
Alexander Baumgarten – A Brief Life
The central themes of the Ethica Philosophica
1) The Determining Ground of Perfection
2) Obligation
3) Happiness and religion
Notes on this translation
1) The editions of the Ethica Philosophica
2) Vocabulary
Baumgarten’s Philosophical Ethics
To the listener of good will [Preface to the first edition]
New Preface [Preface to the second edition]
Synopsis
Prolegomena
Part I. General Ethics
I. Religion
2. Duties Towards Yourself
3. Duties Towards Other Things
Part II. Special Ethics
4. Special Duties with Respect to the Soul
5. Special Duties with Respect to the Body
6. Special Duties with Respect to the External State
Index to the Paragraphs of the Philosophical Ethics
Glossaries
English to Latin
Latin to English
Greek – English
Works Cited
Textual Variants
Kant’s Sources in Translation uncovers the texts that shaped Kant's thought and retrieves the rich intellectual world that influenced Kant’s philosophical development. Many of these sources are in Latin or in German, and remain inaccessible to Anglophone readers.
The series makes available the most important textbooks Kant used throughout his long teaching career. Lacking this material, it is often difficult to appreciate Kant’s originality and process of philosophical maturation, we are unable to understand what prompted Kant to introduce a distinction, offer a qualification, attack a position, or develop a new thesis. With this essential background we better understand the genesis of Kant’s thought.
Series Editors: Lawrence Pasternack, Professor of Philosophy, Oklahoma State University, USA; Pablo Muchnik, Associate Professor of Philosophy, Emerson College, USA
Produktdetaljer
Biografisk notat
Alexander Baumgarten (1714-1762) was among the first to teach the controversial philosophy of Christian Wolff (1679-1754). By order of the king, he moved to Frankfurt on the Oder in 1739, where he remained until his death in 1762. His most influential philosophical works are Metaphysics (1739), Philosophical Ethics (1740) and Aesthetics (2 Vols, 1750 and 1757). Today Baumgarten is also regarded as a central founder of modern aesthetics.
John Hymers is Associate Professor of Philosophy at La Salle University, USA. He is the co-editor and translator of Metaphysics: A Critical Translation (Bloomsbury, 2012), Preparation for Natural Theology (Bloomsbury, 2016) and Baumgarten's Elements of First Practical Philosophy (Bloomsbury, 2020).