What for, Vol. VIII No. 16/17, 2009.
Conference paper
The problem of body modifications freom the perspective of Kant’s ethics and Mill’s understanding of individual liberty in society
Maja Zubak
; Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences Zagreb
Abstract
How did 18th and 19th century philosophers reflect on the concept of corporality and one’s relation to it, at a time before technology could do whati it can do to the body today? Kant reflects on this in his ethics within the framework of the issues pertaining to one’s duties to oneself as an animal yet, at the same time, a moral being. In his reflections he scrutinises the concrete problems of suicide, self-defilement and gluttonousness. In contrast to Mill, Kant here represents a conservative current, altough his philosophy is generally one of cornerstones of modern liberal thought. In his On Liberty Mill tackles the question of the freedom of individuals within a state. Although he does not deal with the question of corporality as such, from his liberal stands one can conclude that Mill does ascribe undeniable freedom to man even in his/her relation to his/her very own body.
Keywords
Hrčak ID:
61672
URI
Publication date:
17.3.2009.
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