Kant on love

Abstract

This PhD thesis is the first systematic and exegetical study of ‘love’ [Liebe] in the philosophy of Kant. I argue that love is much more important to Kant than previously realised, and that all things considered, understanding love is essential for Kantian ethical life.

In particular, the thesis involves two exegetical main propositions. First, that love in Kant is mainly divided into love of benevolence [Liebe des Wohlwollens] and love of delight [Liebe des Wohlgefallens], which division I call the general division of love. I argue that the general division of love in Kant is a key for understanding love in Kant.

I further divide Kant’s concept of love into several aspects of love, such as self-love, sexual love (and love of beauty), love of God, love of neighbor and love in friendship. I devote one chapter of the thesis to each of these major aspects, beginning with the lowest forms of self-love as crude animality, and moving gradually upwards towards idealised ethical notions of love. I show that in one way or another, all of the major aspects of love relate to the general division of love.

Hence, I come to analyse the general division of love in Kant from natural, religious and moral perspectives. This analytical trajectory yields the second main proposition of the thesis: Analysed in conjunction with each other, the different aspects of love reveal an ascent of love in Kant’s thought. Perhaps surprisingly, for Kant, love permeats human existence from the strongest impulses of nature to the highest ideals of morally deserved happiness.

I call this result the ascent model of love in Kant, which I defend as the first relatively comprehensive general model of love drawn from Kant’s philosophy.

Date of Award	1 Dec 2016
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	University of St Andrews
Supervisor	Jens Timmermann (Supervisor)