The Possibility of Culture

The Possibility of Culture: Pleasure and Moral Development in Kant’s Aesthetics presents an in-depth exploration and deconstruction of Kant’s depiction of the ways in which aesthetic pursuits can promote personal moral development.

• Presents an in-depth exploration of the connection between Kant’s aesthetics and his views on moral development
• Reveals the links between Kant’s aesthetics and his anthropology and moral psychology
• Explores Kant’s notion of genius and his views on the connections between the social aspects of taste and moral development
• Addresses aspects of Kant’s ethical theory that will interest scholars working in ethics and moral psychology

"Drawing upon a wide range of Kant's writings on culture and ethics, Murray delivers a fresh, contemporary challenge to the standard view of Kant's aesthetics in the philosophy of art long overdue, highly recommended."

Jennifer A. McMahon, The University of Adelaide

"With Kant as his guide, Bradley Murray adeptly negotiates the tricky yet crucially important terrain between aesthetics and morality. He offers us both a compelling reading of Kant and also an imaginative exploration of the issues. His approach is invigorating and refreshing, while also respecting scholarly values. The Possibility of Culture deserves to open up relatively underexplored issues that are nevertheless of enduring importance both in the understanding of Kant as well as in aesthetics and the philosophy of culture."

Nick Zangwill, University of Hull

Bradley Murray is a philosopher and psychotherapist who has taught at the University of British Columbia, Vancouver, and Oxford University, England. He has published widely on topics relating to Kantian philosophy.

Some of the most enduring and influential contributions to philosophical aesthetics were made by Immanuel Kant. The Possibility of Culture: Pleasure and Moral Development in Kant's Aesthetics presents an in-depth exploration and deconstruction of Kant's depiction of the ways in which aesthetic pursuits can promote personal moral development. By exploring details of Kant's aesthetic theory alongside his theory of moral development, Kantian scholar Bradley Murray reveals the surprising connections between the philosopher's thoughts on the pleasures of beauty and sublimity and his moral psychology and anthropology. Other topics explored include current approaches to Kantian aesthetics, Kant's arguments for the pursuit of culture over pleasure, the moral implications of pursuing the pleasure of beauty and Kant's notion of genius. Offering innovative perspectives on Kantian philosophy, The Possibility of Culture sheds new light on the writings of an important figure whose philosophical concepts continue to shape Western thought.

Some of the most enduring and influential contributions to philosophical aesthetics were made by Immanuel Kant. The Possibility of Culture: Pleasure and Moral Development in Kant s Aesthetics presents an in-depth exploration and deconstruction of Kant s depiction of the ways in which aesthetic pursuits can promote personal moral development. By exploring details of Kant s aesthetic theory alongside his theory of moral development, Kantian scholar Bradley Murray reveals the surprising connections between the philosopher s thoughts on the pleasures of beauty and sublimity and his moral psychology and anthropology. Other topics explored include current approaches to Kantian aesthetics, Kant s arguments for the pursuit of culture over pleasure, the moral implications of pursuing the pleasure of beauty and Kant s notion of genius. Offering innovative perspectives on Kantian philosophy, The Possibility of Culture sheds new light on the writings of an important figure whose philosophical concepts continue to shape Western thought.

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