Freedom or Equality in Kant’s Political Philosophy

Abstract

This panel aims to bring together common features of Kant’s political and legal philosophy, in order to problematize the tension between his a priori and formal theory of individual and collective freedom, with a substantive and material concern over equality and fairness. By looking at three pivotal themes in the Doctrine of Right, namely the issue of innate right, property, and the attributes of sovereign power, the panel will focus on both contemporary and textual approaches to the following questions: should Kant’s ‘innate right’ be understood as a right to certain entitlements?, if the use and preservation of our body is one of those entitlements, what are the limits of such use in light of everybody else’s right?, what is a property right?, how much is ‘enough’ when it comes to a right of appropriation and use?, what are the limits of individual and collective freedom given the sovereign’s right to majesty?, on what substantive issues should the sovereign have a say? Our aim is therefore to readdress these traditional issues –innate right, property, and sovereign power- from a critical standpoint, by pushing the limits of Kant’s theory in light of the tension between two fundamental values: freedom and equality.

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Kant’s Right of Majesty and the Freedom and Equality of Citizens	View Paper Details
‘What makes property possible?’: Kant against the tradition	View Paper Details
Kant's Innate Right and Bodily Rights	View Paper Details