Reason, Right, and Revolution: Practical Philosophy between Kant and Hegel.

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The proposed research network will bring together an international group of historians of philosophy to discuss and explore the practical philosophy (viz., the moral, legal, and political philosophy) of the early post-Kantians. The early post-Kantians include figures such as J.B. Erhard, P.J.A. Feuerbach, the early J.G. Fichte, F. Gentz, S. Maimon, J. Möser, A.W. Rehberg, E. Reimarus, K.L. Reinhold, the early F.W.J. Schelling, F. Schlegel, and T. Schmalz. The early post-Kantians wrote in the aftermath of Kant's pathbreaking contributions to moral philosophy-the 1785 Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Morals and the 1788 Critique of Practical Reason. These works were widely regarded as inaugurating a revolution in practical philosophy: In opposition to previous philosophers, Kant argued that the principles of morality were not to be sought in an innate moral sense or in the commands of a transcendent God, but in human rationality and freedom. Although Kant inaugurated a revolution, he did not - at least not initially - fully explain its implications for the 'philosophy of right' (legal and political philosophy) or provide an unambiguous account of its implications for political practice. The early post-Kantians saw it as their task to complete Kant's revolution in practical philosophy by deepening his account of morality and by developing an authentically Kantian legal and political philosophy. In order to discharge this task, the early post-Kantians had to grapple with several issues. First, they had to determine the true nature and significance of Kant's contribution to moral theory. Secondly, they had to adopt a position concerning the relationship between the norms and principles of Kantian morality and the norms and principles of legal and political philosophy. Thirdly, they had to take a stance on an issue that greatly concerned Kant-namely, the nature of the relationship between theory and practice. Finally, they had to confront two questions of burning political import: Do the principles of Kantian moral theory justify a right to revolution, or do they rather rule it out? What are the implications of Kant's moral theory for human rights, and for the rights of women and non-Europeans? In tackling these issues, the early post-Kantians produced a body of rich and sophisticated work that is of enduring philosophical importance.The practical philosophy of the early post-Kantians has been relatively neglected in Anglophone history of philosophy. However, this is beginning to change. Thanks in part to the work of scholars such as Frederick Beiser and Reidar Maliks, there has been a recent growth of interest in early post-Kantian practical philosophy. The proposed network seeks to build upon, and further develop, this interest by bringing together a group of international scholars to explore the nature, significance, and contemporary relevance of early post-Kantian practical philosophy. This collaborative exploration will not only deepen our understanding of early post-Kantian practical philosophy; it will also deepen our understanding of 18th and 19th Century German philosophy and open up new avenues for research in the history of political thought and in legal and political theory. The proposed network will explore the nature and significance of early post-Kantian practical philosophy through a series of four themed workshops, each of which will address one or more of the aforementioned issues. The workshops will also explore the implications of early post-Kantian practical philosophy for contemporary Kant scholarship and for contemporary debates in legal and political theory. The network will be complemented and supported by a series of translations of early post-Kantian practical philosophy. These translations, which will be published over the course of the project, will enable a wider audience to engage critically with the literature that will be explored by the research network.