Das Willensfreiheitsproblem, zumal als Problem von Willensfreiheit und Determinismus, ist eines der großen Rätsel der Menschheit, das allen Versuchen zu trotzen scheint, es rational zu lösen. Kritiker haben deshalb vermutet, die Frage selbst könne falsch gestellt oder von überholten Voraussetzungen abhängig sein. Dem tritt der vorliegende Band profund entgegen, systematisch wie geistesgeschichtlich. Er legt eingehend dar, inwiefern Willensfreiheit, verstanden als Freiheit der Willensbildung, von zwar begrenzter, aber zentraler und keineswegs nur kontextrelativer Bedeutung für das Selbstverständnis von Menschen als aktive Wesen (...) ist, die verantwortlich und normenorientiert handeln können. Zugleich werden die formalen Bedingungen für eine erfolgversprechende Neuaufnahme des alten Rätsels herausgearbeitet. (shrink)

This chapter takes up the classical problem of freewilI, arguing that its traditional understanding remains virulent up to the present and has been unduly declared obsolete by mainstream philosophy. The established division into "compatibilism" and "incompatibiIism" is rejected as misleading. However, after a brief clarification of the relevant notions of 'will' and 'freedom', drawing on the author's extended earlier research, it is argued in detail that it is not possible to meet the two central criteria of 'willing freely' if one (...) subscribes to determinism. First, one cannot specify any relevant notion of practical possibility. Second, unless one accepts strong metaphysical premises, one cannot rely, alternatively, on the criterion of processes of forming the will being "essential" (in some relevant sense) to the person in question. Still it is not necessary to dismiss 'freewill', as the conception of volitional states or processes as indetermined in part is ruled out neither by an unprejudiced scientific view of the world nor by the bad old argument from "blind chance". (shrink)

Can the risks of the scientific technical world be sufficiently delimited in a normative sense? The answer provided by this article is yes, assuming that the potentials of negligence liability are clarified and its principles consistently applied. An outline of the basic conditions for this endeavor proceeds from the distinctions drawn by the Analytical Theory of Action. "Negligence" is defined as taking risks beyond normative limits. It is treated on this basis as the generic concept for "intention". A normative theoretical (...) justification of "required care" is proffered. The care required is limited, however, on the one hand by its tie to the norm addressee's practical ability. On the other, it is elevated by the consistent, non-random designation of norms on risk-taking and by the systematic inclusion of the ability to have been addressed normatively at an earlier point in time. The question as to whether one can locate responsibility sometime prior to the harm accidentally caused will be discussed and affirmed. Lassen sich die Gefährdungen der wissenschaftlich-technischen Welt normativ hinreichend eingrenzen? Die Antwort des Artikels ist ja, vorausgesetzt, daß die Ressourcen der Fahrlässigkeitshaftung präzisiert und konsequent angewandt werden. Ausgehend von Unterscheidungen der Analytischen Handlungstheorie werden die Rahmenbedingungen dafür umrissen. "Fahrlässigkeit" wird als Überschreitung normierter Risikogrenzen definiert und auf dieser Basis als Gattungsbegriff der "Vorsätzlichkeit" behandelt. Die Rede von der "gebotenen Sorgfalt" wird normentheoretisch gerechtfertigt. Sie wird jedoch einerseits eingeschränkt durch die Bindung ans praktische Können der Gebotsadressaten. Andererseits wird sie verschärft durch die konsequente, nicht zufallsabhängige Normierung von Risikozuständen, sowie durch die systematische Einbeziehung der normativen Ansprechbarkeit zu einem früheren Zeitpunkt. Die Frage der Möglichkeit einer "Vorverlegung" der Verantwortlichkeit wird aufgegriffen und affirmativ beantwortet. (shrink)

The book presents the first comprehensive survey of limits of the intentional control of action from an interdisciplinary perspective. It brings together leading scholars from philosophy, psychology, and the law to elucidate this theoretically and practically important topic from a variety of theoretical and disciplinary approaches. It provides reflections on conceptual foundations as well as a wealth of empirical data and will be a valuable resource for students and researchers alike. Among the authors: Clancy Blair, Todd S. Braver, Michael W. (...) Cole, Anika Fäsche, Maayan Davidov, Peter Gollwitzer, Kai Robin Grzyb, Tobias Heikamp, Gabriele Oettingen, Rachel McKinnon, Nachschon Meiran, Hans Christian Röhl, Michael Schmitz, John R. Searle, Gottfried Seebaß, Gisela Trommsdorff, Felix Thiede, J. Lukas Thürmer, Frank Wieber. (shrink)

After Leibniz's death in 1716, Clarke published an edition of their philosophical correspondence--a wide-ranging discussion of the nature of God, human souls, free will and indifference of choice, space and time, the vacuum, miracles, and matter and force. Clarke included his own letters, his translations of Leibniz's letters, and some translated passages from Leibniz's French and Latin works that helped to illuminate their exchanges.

Two of Leibniz's most studied and often quoted works appear in this volume. Published in 1686, the Discourse on Metaphysics consists of the philosopher's explanation of individual perception as an expression of the rest of the universe from a unique perspective. The whole world--the best of all possible worlds, as he famously remarks--is thus contained in each individual substance. The Monadology, written in 1714, offers a concise synopsis of Leibniz's philosophy, establishing the laws of final causes, which underlie God's free (...) choice to create the best possible world--a world that serves as dynamic and perfectly ordered evidence of the wisdom of its creator. Translated by George R. Montgomery. (shrink)

Le Discours de métaphysique de 1686 offre, dans la densité de son texte, une synthèse de réflexions jusqu'alors dispersées. Par lui-même, il constitue un exposé d'ensemble - le premier en date et sans nul doute l'un des plus complets - où se trouve ramassée en formules singulièrement fortes une doctrine que reprendront bientôt d'innombrables opuscules et qui inspirera plus tard les grandes œuvres de la vieillesse : il en présente, sous une forme serrée, tous les thèmes essentiels. De 1686 à (...) 1690, il se prolonge par une série de lettres, quelquefois fort longues et toujours très riches, dont le but immédiat est de répondre à quelques objections d'Arnauld, mais dont le développement donne occasion à des reprises ou à des commentaires d'une importance majeure : rien n'éclaire de façon plus profonde l'ouvrage lui-même. On ne peut comprendre le Discours de métaphysique, dans toute sa richesse et sa plénitude, qu'à condition de ne pas le séparer de la Correspondance qui lui fait suite. (shrink)

Beyond the world, i.e. beyond the collection of finite things, there is some one being who rules, not only as the soul is the ruler in me (or, to put it better, as the self is the ruler in my body), but also in a much higher way. For the one being who rules the universe doesn’t just •govern the world but also •builds or makes it. He is above the world and outside it, so to speak, and therefore he (...) is the ultimate reason for things. ·That follows because •he is the only extramundane thing, i.e. the only thing that exists out of the world; and •nothing in the world could be the ultimate reason for things. I now explain that second premise·. We can’t find in any individual thing, or even in the entire collection and series of things, a sufficient reason why they exist. Suppose that a book on the elements of geometry has always existed, each copy made from an earlier one, ·with no first copy·. We can.. (shrink)

This volume presents philosophical contributions examining questions of the grounding and justification of taxation and different types of taxes such as inheritance, wealth, consumption or income tax in relation to justice and the concept of a just society. The chapters cover the different levels at which the discussion on taxation and justice takes place: On the principal level, chapters investigate the justification and grounding of taxation as such and the role taxation plays and should play in the design of justice, (...) be it for a just society or a just world order. On a more concrete level, chapters present discussions of these general reflections in more depth and examine different types of taxation, tax systems and their design and implementation. On an applied level, chapters discuss certain specific taxes, such as wealth and inheritance taxes, and examine whether or not a certain tax should be favored and for what reasons as well as why it is just to target certain kinds of assets or income. Finally, this volume contains chapters that discuss the central issue of international and global taxation and their relation to global justice. (shrink)

Bringing together Leibniz's writings on God and religion for the very first time, Leibniz on God and Religion: A Reader reflects the growing importance now placed on Leibniz's philosophical theology. This reader features a wealth of material, from journal articles and book reviews published in Leibniz's lifetime to private notes and essays, as well as items from his correspondence. Organised thematically into the following sections, this reader captures the changes in Leibniz's thinking over the course of his career: The Catholic (...) Demonstrations The existence and nature of God Reason and faith Ethics and the love of God The Bible Miracles and mysteries The churches and their doctrines Grace and predestination Sin, evil, and theodicy The afterlife Non-Christian religions In preparing this reader, Strickland has returned to Leibniz's original manuscripts to ensure accurate translations of key texts, the majority of which have not been available in English before. The reader also contains a number of texts previously unpublished in any form. Alongside the translations, this reader contains an introductory essay, explanatory notes on all of the texts, and suggestions for further reading. This valuable sourcebook enables students of all levels to achieve a well-rounded understanding of Leibniz's philosophical theology. (shrink)

Die Ausgabe präsentiert Leibniz' frühe Schriften und Briefe zum Naturrecht in deutscher Übersetzung; den lateinischen Originaltext nach der Akademie-Ausgabe stellt sie gegenüber. Sie umfaßt vier Textgruppen:1. Eine Aufzeichnung zum Leib-Seele-Zusammenhang und zur moralischen Sphäre des Verstandes 2. Den zweiten Teil der Neuen Methode, Jurisprudenz zu lernen und zu lehren 3. Die sechs erhaltenen Entwürfe zu den Elementen des Naturrechts 4. Vier Briefe zum Verhältnis von positivem und natürlichem Recht.

The Discourse on Metaphysics is one of Leibniz's fundamental works. Written around January 1686, it is the most accomplished systematic expression of Leibniz's philosophy in the 1680s, the period in which Leibniz's philosophy reached maturity. Leibniz's goal in the Discourse is to give a metaphysics for Christianity; that is, to provide the answers that he believes Christians should give to the basic metaphysical questions. Why does the world exist? What is the world like? What kinds of things exist? And what (...) is the place of human beings in the world? To this purpose Leibniz discusses some of the most traditional topics of metaphysics, such as the nature of God, the purpose of God in creating the world, the nature of substance, the possibility of miracles, the nature of our knowledge, free will, and the justice behind salvation and damnation. This volume provides a new translation of the Discourse, complete with a critical introduction and a comprehensive philosophical commentary. (shrink)

About the text and translation -- The Monadology -- The structure of the Monadology -- The Monadology : text with running commentary -- Appendix: Theodicy -- The principles of nature and grace, founded on reason -- Leibniz to Nicole Remond : appendix on monads.