Reading Starter Packs

This expanded edition of James Ellington’s preeminent translation includes Ellington’s new translation of Kant’s essay “Of a Supposed Right to Lie Because of Philanthropic Concerns” in which Kant replies to one of the standard objections to his moral theory as presented in the main text: that it requires us to tell the truth even in the face of disastrous consequences.

Immanuel  Kant’s  Groundwork  for  the  Metaphysics  of  Morals  is  widely  regarded  as  one of the most influential works in the history of moral philosophy. Indeed, any student of ethics will soon encounter a translation of the book, although trying to read it is likely to cause bewilderment. What, one may ask, is Kant trying to say? This book provides the answers. Here, seven highly regarded teachers and scholars of Kant’s ethics offer remarkably clear explanations of the most important concepts in  the  Groundwork:  the  good  will,  happiness,  duty,  hypothetical  and  categorical  imperatives, the Formula of Universal Law, the Formula of Humanity, and freedom.

“This is the rare guide to Kant’s Groundwork suitable even for students new to philosophy. The clear, concise chapters focus on only the most essential concepts from all three sections of the Groundwork. The authors expertly illuminate Kant’s ethical thought and facilitate engagement with the text.” —Lara Denis, Agnes Scott College