Kant and Political Philosophy: The Contemporary Legacy (review)

348 JOURNAL OF THE HISTORY OF PHILOSOPHY 33:~ APRIL 1995 The Cambridge Companion to Hume combines in one very readable volume essays of high quality on the entire range of Hume's work. Although some omissions are unavoidable and understandable, one general omission flaws an otherwise excellent anthology . It was surprising, and disappointing, to discover that a work which is very likely to become a standard reference includes no contributions from prominent women Hume scholars, such as Annette Baler. All the essays contain substantial references, and many trace the history of the interpretation of Hume on particular topics. The latter will be particularly helpful to students and nonspecialists who are trying to orient themselves to the scholarly literature on Hume. The thorough bibliography compiled by David Norton includes some interesting, unexpected material, such as a selected list of early responses to Hume's work. There is also an index to the citations and references to Hume's works in the anthology. Finally, Norton has included, as an Appendix, two autobiographical sketches by Hume. These resources not only serve to make Hume more accessible, but also promote a high standard of Hume scholarship. Anyone engaged in the study of Hume will find that The Cambridge Companion to Hume can be good company. JANE L. MCINTYRE Cleveland State University Ronald Beiner and William James Booth, editors. Kant and Political Philosophy: The ContemporaryLegacy. New Haven: Yale University Press, 1993. Pp. ix + 38o. Cloth, $37.5~9 This collection of essays on Immanuel Kant's political thought surveys the range of interpretations contemporary philosophers and political scientists give Kant's work. We see Kant viewed now as a rational intuitionist, elsewhere as a constructivist (John Rawls, "Themes in Kant's Moral Philosophy"; Patrick Riley, "The Elements of Kant's Practical Philosophy"). We find him praised as wise and realistic because he recognizes the inescapable tension between our subjection to laws of the natural world and our ability to make, understand, and obey the moral law; we find him condemned as foolish and naive for failing, purportedly, to recognize the coercive nature of social and economic institutions (Lewis White Beck, "Kant's Two Conceptions of the Will in Their Political Context"; William James Booth, "The Limits of Autonomy: Karl Marx's Kant Critique"). The collection also suggests the myriad connections between the political writings and Kant's philosophy as a whole, with interpretations often illuminated by Kant's views on metaphysics, aesthetics, and moral philosophy in general (Susan Shell, "Commerce and Community in Kant's Early Thought"; Ronald Beiner, "Kant, the Sublime, and Nature"). The volume is divided into four sections, each comprising four essays. Part One considers the influence on Kant's thought of figures in the history of political philosophy , including Plato, Grotius, Pufendorf, and Rousseau (Riley's and Beck's essays; Mary Gregor, "Kant on 'Natural Rights' "; Richard L. Velkley, "The Crisis of the End BOOK REVIEWS 349 of Reason in Kant's Philosophy and the Remarks of 1764- t 765"). Articles in Part Two address Kant's views on topics long of interest to social and political theorists. For example, Dieter Henrich ("On the Meaning of Rational Action in the State") examines how Kant's conceptions of theory and practice relate to his view on revolution, and Joseph Knippenberg ("The Politics of Kant's Philosophy") considers Kant's philosophy of history and its intended influence on politics. Part Three provides critical analyses of Kant's views. Among these, Bernard Yack ("The Problem with Kantian Liberalism") contends that Kant's liberalism assumes too much commonality among persons, blinding us to the very differences liberalism seeks to protect. Ronald Beiner, drawing on the analysis of aesthetic judgments, argues that Kant's moral philosophy is anthropocentric, undervaluing the moral significance of our relations to the natural world. The volume concludes with works by contemporary Kantian theorists and their critics. For instance, Jiirgen Habermas ("Morality and the Ethical Life") asks whether Hegel's criticisms of Kant apply to discourse ethics. Charles Taylor ("The Motivation behind a Procedural Ethics") argues the untenability of a philosophy subsuming the good under the right and pursues the consequences of this claim for discourse ethics. Although organized around these four...