A Theory of Freedom [Paperback]

This book is a major contribution to the study of the philosophy of action, moral philosophy, and political philosophy.A radically unorthodox theory of rational action is the central idea in a reformulation of Kant's ethical and political thought, wherein rational action can be determined simply by principles, regardless of consequences.A radically unorthodox theory of rational action is the central idea in a reformulation of Kant's ethical and political thought, wherein rational action can be determined simply by principles, regardless of consequences.This book is a major contribution to the study of the philosophy of action, moral philosophy, and political philosophy. Its central idea is a radically unorthodox theory of rational action. Most contemporary Anglo-American philosophers believe that action is motivated by desire. Professor Benn rejects the doctrine and replaces it with a reformulation of Kant's ethical and political theory, in which rational action can be determined simply by principles, regardless of consequences. The book analyzes the way in which value conflicts can be rationally resolved, the objectivity of value, the concept of moral personality, the principles of non-interference and respect of persons, the ideals of autonomy and community and various aspects of individual rights--focusing on the rights to freedom, welfare, and privacy.Foreword Miriam Benn and Gerald F. Gaus; Preface; Acknowledgments; 1. persons and values; 2. Practical rationality and commitment; 3. Reasons in conflict: quandaries and consistency; 4. Values and objectivity; 5. natural personality and moral personality; 6. The principle of respect for persons; 7. Freedom of action; 8. Freedom as autarchy; 9. Autonomy, and positive freedom; 10. Autonomy, integration, and self-development; 11. Self-realization, instinctual freedom, and autonomy; 12. Autonomy, association, and community; 13. Human rights and moral responsibility; 15. Interests in privacy; 16. Conclusion: a semantl“Ô