Sponsor
Portland State University. Department of History
First Advisor
Michael F. Reardon
Term of Graduation
Summer 1994
Date of Publication
7-12-1994
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Arts (M.A.) in History
Department
History
Language
English
Subjects
Liberty, Free will and determination, Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1712-1778), Immanuel Kant (1724-1804)
DOI
10.15760/etd.6606
Physical Description
1 online resource (2, ii, 104 pages)
Abstract
Rousseau and Kant were philosophers of freedom. Both believed freedom was the essence of humanity, and both believed that "freedom is self-legislation." This thesis examines what they understood to be self-legislation.
According to Rousseau natural freedom was lost with the establishment of society. Society is an "unnatural" order and the true basis of society is simply convention. Man is free only if he is subject to laws of his own making, or at least to those laws to which he has consented. The ideal state, according to Rousseau, is the republic based on laws that have been created and adopted by each members of the community. It is in this sense of freedom, for Rousseau, is self-legislation.
Kant believed the important issue was demonstrating the metaphysical possibility of freedom, not the reconstruction of society. Kant argued that freedom could be demonstrated, and morality reaffirmed, by focusing on the "ought" of reason. The "ought" transcends the physical world and was a pure law of reason. It is not subject to the physical laws of causality. Man has the ability to act according to this law of reason. Man is transcending the physical realm, and the physical laws of nature, whenever he makes a moral decision based on what he "ought" to do, or whenever he puts duty before his physical desire. This, Kant argues, is self-legislation, and only here may man hope to be free.
Rights
In Copyright. URI: http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/ This Item is protected by copyright and/or related rights. You are free to use this Item in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. For other uses you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s).
Persistent Identifier
https://archives.pdx.edu/ds/psu/27727
Recommended Citation
Cross, Roger L., "Freedom as Self-Legislation: An Examination of Rosseau and Kant" (1994). Dissertations and Theses. Paper 4722.
https://doi.org/10.15760/etd.6606
Comments
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