EPISODE · Dec 13, 2025 · 2H 48M
Kant's philosophy - What is justice?
from Kant's Philosophy · host The Voice of Reason
The object of right is the mine and yours, that is, in the case of innate rights, that which is mine by birth, or, in the case of acquired rights, that which became mine at some point. In the state of nature, when there is no state and no law, the principle of right is: neminem leadere, don't harm anyone, i. e. let everyone keep his own, and this is the principle of commutative justice. But here there is no agreement about what is mine, what is yours, wherefore the state of nature is a constant state of war. Perpetual peace can only come about through public right: A contract which bestows to each person his own as his own and guarantees it. This is a distributive justice which acts according to the principle: suum cuique tribue, give to each his own. Just therefore can only be whatever could be contained in such a social contract to which everyone could agree. And this can be determined through an experiment of reason, that is through the question whether it can stand publicity.Quote: 0:08Justice and therefore peace are only possible through public right: 0:37The state needs law, force and freedom: 9:18The conditions where at least one essential element of the state is missing: 16:09The analogy with ethics: 35:06Wild freedom and freedom under the law: 54:38Barbarism: 1:04:04Just laws are those to which everyone could have agreed in an original social contract: 1:30:26The maxim of publicity in right: 2:03:39The maxim of publicity in ethics: 2:20:57Thanks: 2:47:58The relation of freedom, law and force Kant discusses in his Anthropology from a Pragmatic Point of View: https://dokumen.pub/anthropology-from-a-pragmatic-point-of-view-0521671655-9780521671651.html, his lectures on anthropology: https://archive.org/details/kantsgesammeltes0000kant_a3n3 | https://archive.org/details/kantsgesammeltes0000kant_j8c0 and his handwritten estate on anthropology: https://korpora.org/kant/aa15/ (I am not aware of any English translation).The Maxim of Publicity is discussed in his texts: On the Common Saying: That may be Correct in Theory but is of no Use in Practice: https://hesperusisbosphorus.files.wordpress.com/2015/02/theory-and-practice.pdf, Perpetual Peace: https://www.gutenberg.org/files/50922/50922-h/50922-h.htm as well as in his handwritten estate on anthropology: https://korpora.org/kant/aa15/ and his handwritten estate on moral philosophy: https://korpora.org/kant/aa19/ (I am not aware of any English translations).Whoever wants to support my aufkläring work can do so via:https://ko-fi.com/jonathanivoloewerhttps://www.patreon.com/jonathanivoloewerhttps://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=VDDT7T7XHR77UThumbnail: www.hotpot.ai
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Kant's philosophy - What is justice?
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