Building a Bridge Between Kant and Nietzsche: An Attempt to Come Up with a Synthesis of Their Distinctive Approaches to Morality (original) (raw)

On the Institution of the Moral Subject.

ON THE INSTITUTION OF THE MORAL SUBJECT: ON THE COMMANDER AND THE COMMANDED IN NIETZSCHE’S DISCUSSION OF LAW Abstract: The article discusses how Nietzsche understands the institution of law and morals in distinction to Kant and the Christian tradition. It argues that Nietzsche to a large extent is inspired by the paradigm-shift toward a evolutionary biological thinking introduced by several of his peers in the late 19th century, among else Fr. A. Lange, who sees this shift as a sobering scientific-materialistic alternative to Kant. In Nietzsche, the Kantian moral imperative is replaced with a notion of a morality emerging thanks to historical, or pre-historical, civilizational processes, imposed on a feebleminded human without any inherent rational dispositions to obey Law. It is also a process, which rather than universalizing the human, splits it in a duality where one part obeys old immediate self-interests and another part obeys new ‘commands,’ having been shouted ‘into the ear’ by a so-called ‘commander.’ The compliance with law takes two radically different forms in Nietzsche: servile and mediocre individuals need to be exposed to discipline and punishment in order to adopt Law; while so-called ‘sovereign’ individuals are able to impose law upon themselves. The figure of the ‘sovereign’ has consequently been an issue for vigorous debate in especially the Anglo-Saxon tradition of Nietzsche research, since his apparent ‘respect for law’ and ‘sense of duty’ reiterate typical Kantian qualities. Relating to these discussions, I suggest that Nietzsche’s ‘sovereign’ (in one context) is identical his ‘commander’ (in other contexts). When the ‘sovereign’ as such imposes law upon himself and others, his act is conventional and arbitrary (like language in Saussure), and is rather irrational than rational as in Kant. His will is not a good will, nor a rational will with a vision of human autonomy. His command of himself and others is a performative, thus without truth-value (like illocutionary speech-acts in Austin and Searle).

Kant and the Problem of Morality

2022

This book examines the significance of Kant’s moral philosophy in contemporary philosophical debates. It argues that Kant’s philosophy can still serve as a guide to navigate the turbulence of a globalized world in which we are faced by an imprescriptible social reality wherein moral values and ethical life models are becoming increasingly unstable. The volume draws on Kantian ethics to discuss various contemporary issues, including sustainable development, moral enhancement, sexism, and racism. It also tackles general concepts of practical philosophy such as lying, the different kinds of moral duties, and the kind of motivation one needs for doing what we consider the right thing. Featuring readings by well-known Kant specialists and emerging scholars with unorthodox approaches to Kant’s philosophy, the volume will be of great interest to scholars and researchers of philosophy, politics and ethics. It will also appeal to moral theorists, applied ethicists and environmental theorists.

Ulrich, W. (2011). A note on the convergence of Kant's ideas of rationality, morality, and politics

Ulrich's Bimonthly, September-October 2011, 2011

Following up the author's trilogy of review essays dedicated to Kant's practical philosophy (available in the "Reviews" section of the author's Academia.edu page), this brief reflection attempts to gain an integrative perspective of Kant's notions of the rational, the moral, and the political. Included are the original short versions of 2011 of the three reviews, so that the essay can be read independently.

(More) Notes on Nietzsche's Genealogy of Morality

Contained here are a collection of teaching notes meant to guide a multi-day discussion of Friedrich Nietzsche's _On the Genealogy of Morality_. The goal is to provide a careful framework around which a more free-flowing discussion can revolve.