An introduction to Kant's ethics /

Sullivan takes up the challenge of presenting an introductory account of Kant's ethical theory that does not sacrifice any of the depth or subtlety of that theory; the result is an unqualified success. Sullivan's point of entry to Kant's moral theory is his political philosophy, which he discusses in the opening chapter. He then proceeds to explain key Kantian ideas, such as the Categorical Imperative and its various formulations, and the idea of moral character, and he shows how these hang together to produce a unified ethical theory. In another chapter Sullivan discusses some of the shortcomings of Kant's work. This book makes Kant comprehensible to any undergraduate willing to put a reasonable amount of effort into it, and will also profit graduate students and faculty members looking for a basic understanding of Kant's ethical thought. There are very few books that provide so lucid an account of Kant in such an accessible manner; consequently this volume is an especially valuable addition to college and university libraries.