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The Metaphysics of Autonomy

The Reconciliation of Ancient and Modern Ideals of the Person

  • Book
  • © 2004

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Authors:
  1. Mark Coeckelbergh
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Table of contents (11 chapters)

  1. Front Matter

    Pages i-x
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  2. Part I

    1. Front Matter

      Pages 1-1
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    2. The Modern Ideal of Autonomy

      • Mark Coeckelbergh
      Pages 3-18

    3. Ancient Ideals of the Person: Plato and Augustine

      • Mark Coeckelbergh
      Pages 19-45

    4. Problems with the Modern Ideal: the Need for Extension

      • Mark Coeckelbergh
      Pages 46-61

    5. Using Plato and Augustine to Fill the Gap

      • Mark Coeckelbergh
      Pages 62-86

  3. Part II

    1. Front Matter

      Pages 87-87
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    2. Introduction

      • Mark Coeckelbergh
      Pages 89-92

    3. Sartrean Existentialism: Extreme Freedom and Groundless Choice

      • Mark Coeckelbergh
      Pages 93-104

    4. Frankfurt

      • Mark Coeckelbergh
      Pages 105-145

    5. Introduction to the Next Chapters: Two Kantian Ideals Of Autonomy

      • Mark Coeckelbergh
      Pages 146-146

    6. Hill’s Ideal of Autonomy

      • Mark Coeckelbergh
      Pages 147-168

    7. The Ideal of the Person in Kant’s Groundwork

      • Mark Coeckelbergh
      Pages 169-195

    8. Conclusion of Part II

      • Mark Coeckelbergh
      Pages 196-197

  4. Back Matter

    Pages 198-222
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Keywords

About this book

If we want to be autonomous, what do we want? The author shows that contemporary value-neutral and metaphysically economical conceptions of autonomy, such as that of Harry Frankfurt, face a serious problem. Drawing on Plato, Augustine, and Kant, this book provides a sketch of how 'ancient' and 'modern' can be reconciled to solve it. But at what expense? It turns out that the dominant modern ideal of autonomy cannot do without a costly metaphysics if it is to be coherent.

Reviews

'The author has a mastery of the literature on moral and political autonomy... [he has] made an interesting and original contribution to what is a vital contemporary debate.' - Professor Timothy O'Hagan, University of East Anglia

About the author

MARK COECKELBERGH received a PhD from the University of Birmingham. Presently he is a lecturer in Philosophy at the University of Maastricht. His main research interest is ethics. His publications include Liberation and Passion (2002).

Bibliographic Information

  • Book Title: The Metaphysics of Autonomy

  • Book Subtitle: The Reconciliation of Ancient and Modern Ideals of the Person

  • Authors: Mark Coeckelbergh

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/9780230501812

  • Publisher: Palgrave Macmillan London

  • eBook Packages: Palgrave Religion & Philosophy Collection, Philosophy and Religion (R0)

  • Copyright Information: Palgrave Macmillan, a division of Macmillan Publishers Limited 2004

  • Hardcover ISBN: 978-1-4039-3938-8Published: 12 July 2004

  • Softcover ISBN: 978-1-349-51989-7Published: 12 July 2004

  • eBook ISBN: 978-0-230-50181-2Published: 12 July 2004

  • Edition Number: 1

  • Number of Pages: X, 222

  • Topics: Epistemology, Metaphysics, Ethics

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