Description
Book SynopsisArgues that Kant and Adam Smith think of liberty as a matter of acting on our capacity for judgment, thereby differing both from those who tie it to the satisfaction of our desires and those who translate it as action in accordance with reason or 'will'. This book shows how different acting on one's best judgment is from acting on one's desires.
Trade Review"Samuel Fleischacker's aim is to defend a liberal political philosophy by linking up both Aristotle and Kant with themes in Adam Smith. His commentaries on these sources are extremely sophisticated and illuminating contributions to the existing literatures. What Fleischacker has to offer, however, is not merely commentary, but also insights of his own that are rigorous, thoughtful, elegantly articulated, and well-grounded in the best of contemporary philosophy."
—Ronald Beiner, University of Toronto"An impressive and interesting work. Its main strengths are the subtle and original interpretations of the theory and practice of judgment in the work of Kant and Adam Smith—not to mention the surprising, but very interesting and plausible way in which the author integrates their ideas."
—Bernard Yack, University of Wisconsin-MadisonTable of ContentsPrefaceAbbreviationsCh. 1Introduction3Pt. IThe Nature of Judgment21Ch. 2Aesthetic Judgment23Ch. 3Moral Judgment32Ch. 4Judgment and Freedom64Pt. IIThe Politics of Judgment89Ch. 5Proper Pleasures91Ch. 6The Wealth of Nations (I): Judgment120Ch. 7The Wealth of Nations (II): Virtue and Independence140Ch. 8The Wealth of Nations (III): Helping the Poor161Ch. 9Kant's Politics, Rawls's Politics (I): The Public Use of Judgment184Ch. 10Kant's Politics, Rawls's Politics (II): Talent, Industry, and Luck215Pt. IIIThe Freedom of Judgment241Ch. 11A Third Concept of Liberty243Notes279Index329
