Symbolic Representation in Kant’s Practical Philosophy

This book is the first to explore in detail the role that symbolic representation plays in the architecture of Kant’s philosophy. Symbolic representation fulfills a crucial function in Kant\'s practical philosophy because it serves to mediate between the unconditionality of the categorical imperative and the inescapable finiteness of the human being. By showing how the nature of symbolic representation plays out across all areas of the practical philosophy - moral philosophy, legal philosophy, philosophy of history and philosophy of religion - Heiner Bielefeldt offers a unique perspective on how these various facets of Kant’s philosophy cohere.

• First book in English to look at much-neglected feature in Kant’s practical philosophy • Book demonstrates how the various facets of Kant\'s philosophy - moral philosophy, legal philosophy, philosophy of history and philosophy of religion - cohere

1. Introduction; 2. Kant’s socratic enlightenment; 3. The law of freedom; 4. How to find orientation in moral practice; 5. The order of right as a symbol of human dignity; 6. Traces of purposiveness in nature and history; 7. Symbolism in the philosophy of religion; 8. Conclusion.

‘The author’s blend of German and Anglo-American Kant scholarship is impressive, as is also his mastery of different areas of the Kantian corpus (e.g. aesthetics, religion, ethics, politics, history) which - in an age of increasing specialization - are often artificially separated … it makes a solid contribution to an important and under-explored area of Kant\'s practical philosophy - one that will be of interest not only to Kant scholars but also to moral and political philosophers, as well as to philosophers of religion.’ – Robert Louden, University of Southern Maine