The Kant for Kids project was launched by the Center for the Humanities at Utrecht University, an... more The Kant for Kids project was launched by the Center for the Humanities at Utrecht University, an endeavor aimed to translate the concept of perpetual peace, and namely Kant’s six preliminary articles, into a terminology accessible and understandable for children. The translation thus entails not only adapting Kant’s text but also linking it to a contemporary political, social and economic context. The project has been carried out in constant consultation with a number of scholars from different disciplinary fields, including experts in philosophy for children, The end result is a book for kids which could be used either as a stand-alone reading or incorporated into a wider course related to philosophy and/or politics. Kant for Kids thus widens the scope of the Redrafting Perpetual Peace Project by inviting children as well into the conversation as active interlocutors.
Since the dawn of its existence the concept of peace has, of course, given rise to a plethora of ... more Since the dawn of its existence the concept of peace has, of course, given rise to a plethora of meanings. The concept has been and still is consistently employed in both inter- as well as intrapersonal matters of discourse. In accordance with the former, one can rightly ask what the concept of peace is to mean within the domain of (international) politics and how it can be obtained in practice. What then are we to make of the idea of a ‘perpetual peace’? If peace is negatively and stringently defined as a mere absence of war, it is not surprising to find that a perpetual peace has not been established, given the history and nature of humankind. Rather, the concept of a perpetual peace seems an ideal at best, the materialization of which difficult if not outright impossible to obtain. Perhaps it was with a similar hint of irony with which a Dutch innkeeper once decided to name his inn ‘The Perpetual Peace’, accompanied with an image of a graveyard on his signboard. It was this scenario that too, perhaps, prompted Kant to awake from yet another ‘slumber’, culminating in his often overlooked and underestimated essay ‘Perpetual Peace: A Philosophical Sketch’. In the first section of this foundational essay, Kant argues for six Preliminary Articles that he conceived as a priori conditions that need to be satisfied in order to approximate peace proper, viz., perpetual peace. In the second section, Kant outlines three Definite Articles in which he provides a foundational framework on which a perpetual peace is thought able to rest. The major aim of this thesis is to provide an analysis of Kant’s Preliminary Articles as formulated in his Perpetual Peace.
In doing so, I will focus primarily on the relevant sections of his essay and provide secondary commentary where I deem it valuable. Finally, I will situate each of these conditions in a contemporary context and investigate to what extent the Dutch political system as being embedded in international law conforms to the necessary conditions here specified. As will become clear, several key documents implemented within the international legal system do appear to have adopted elements of the Kantian framework discussed. In order to make the translation from the 18th century to the modern world feasible, I will make use of a broad interpretation of the conditions in question without thereby losing their conceptual core.
The major aim of this thesis will consist of a systematic reconstruction of Kant’s critique in r... more The major aim of this thesis will consist of a systematic reconstruction of Kant’s critique in relation to the three recognized species of proofs for the existence of God, viz., the ontological, cosmological and physico-theological proofs. In doing so I will focus primarily on the relevant section in the Critique of Pure Reason in order to stay true to the original source, and accordingly a close reading of this interesting section will be a logical step. Second, I will analyze a contemporary objection to Kant’s critique of the ontological proof, namely that of Alvin Plantinga. As will become clear, Kant thought that the validity of the proofs of the other two species ultimately depend on the ontological one, and accordingly this latter species of proof can be considered paramount insofar it functions as the only possible one. Although Kant explicitly refers to Descartes’ version of the ontological argument, it seems fair to assume this critique extends to Anselm’s version as well, since this latter version reflects its archetype. As such, Plantinga analyzes and reformulates Anselm’s version of the ontological argument and attempts to dismiss the relevance of Kant’s objection to both the original version and Plantinga’s own modal reformulation. Since Kant’s critique of speculative theology thus formulated had a major impact on subsequent thought insofar the possibility of such knowledge became questionable, Plantinga’s objection to an important part of just this critique can be regarded as interesting and refreshing in its own right.
Van het hele spectrum van interpretaties van de Koran vormt het salafisme een duidelijke stroming... more Van het hele spectrum van interpretaties van de Koran vormt het salafisme een duidelijke stroming. Het ontkennen van het islamitische gehalte hiervan is indicatief voor politieke correctheid. Als er één vraag bestaat die nog steeds relevant lijkt, is het hoe we het handelen van de IS dienen te kwalificeren. De meningen hierover lopen sterk uiteen. Daar waar sommige experts benadrukken dat IS' handelen alles behalve een islamitische grondslag heeft, wordt deze eerste opvatting door sommigen afgeschreven als een uiting van (politieke) correctheid. Zo dient IS' handelen volgens alternatieve benaderingen als islamitisch pur sang te worden opgevat. Dat IS' handelen vanuit een humaan perspectief gruwelijk is staat niet ter discussie. Zo is het evident dat menig christen, atheïst, jood en een overgrote meerderheid van moslims zich (openlijk) distantiëren van zowel de gruwelijkheid van IS' handelen alsook hieraan voorafgaande (religieuze) legitimeringen.
De vrees voor informele stigmatisering van vrouwen die voor een kind met Down kiezen ondanks voor... more De vrees voor informele stigmatisering van vrouwen die voor een kind met Down kiezen ondanks voorafgaande bekendheid hiervan weegt minder zwaar dan de individuele vrijheid om te kiezen voor de NIPT. Tweede Kamerlid Carla Dik-Faber (ChristenUnie) heeft zich in de media uitgesproken over de stigmatisering of negatieve beeldvorming die het beschikbaar maken van de NIPT (Niet Invasieve Prenatale Test) teweeg zal kunnen brengen. De nieuwe test heeft, in tegenstelling tot de al beschikbare tests (de vlokkentest en vruchtwaterpunctie), het voordeel dat er geen risico is op een miskraam. Het gemak waarmee de test kan worden toegepast alsook onwetendheid bestaande onder zwangere vrouwen zijn voor Dik-Faber redenen om hier voorzichtig mee om te gaan. Sterker, het onvoorwaardelijk beschikbaar maken van de NIPT zal er volgens haar voor zorgen dat vrouwen met een kind met het Downsyndroom zich zullen moeten verantwoorden tegenover anderen en zo wijdverspreide stigmatisering in de hand werkt. Los van de vraag of de vrees voor stigmatisering reëel is mag dit mijns inziens geen afbreuk doen aan de individuele vrijheid van iedere vrouw om onvoorwaardelijk voor de NIPT te kunnen kiezen.
The Kant for Kids project was launched by the Center for the Humanities at Utrecht University, an... more The Kant for Kids project was launched by the Center for the Humanities at Utrecht University, an endeavor aimed to translate the concept of perpetual peace, and namely Kant’s six preliminary articles, into a terminology accessible and understandable for children. The translation thus entails not only adapting Kant’s text but also linking it to a contemporary political, social and economic context. The project has been carried out in constant consultation with a number of scholars from different disciplinary fields, including experts in philosophy for children, The end result is a book for kids which could be used either as a stand-alone reading or incorporated into a wider course related to philosophy and/or politics. Kant for Kids thus widens the scope of the Redrafting Perpetual Peace Project by inviting children as well into the conversation as active interlocutors.
Since the dawn of its existence the concept of peace has, of course, given rise to a plethora of ... more Since the dawn of its existence the concept of peace has, of course, given rise to a plethora of meanings. The concept has been and still is consistently employed in both inter- as well as intrapersonal matters of discourse. In accordance with the former, one can rightly ask what the concept of peace is to mean within the domain of (international) politics and how it can be obtained in practice. What then are we to make of the idea of a ‘perpetual peace’? If peace is negatively and stringently defined as a mere absence of war, it is not surprising to find that a perpetual peace has not been established, given the history and nature of humankind. Rather, the concept of a perpetual peace seems an ideal at best, the materialization of which difficult if not outright impossible to obtain. Perhaps it was with a similar hint of irony with which a Dutch innkeeper once decided to name his inn ‘The Perpetual Peace’, accompanied with an image of a graveyard on his signboard. It was this scenario that too, perhaps, prompted Kant to awake from yet another ‘slumber’, culminating in his often overlooked and underestimated essay ‘Perpetual Peace: A Philosophical Sketch’. In the first section of this foundational essay, Kant argues for six Preliminary Articles that he conceived as a priori conditions that need to be satisfied in order to approximate peace proper, viz., perpetual peace. In the second section, Kant outlines three Definite Articles in which he provides a foundational framework on which a perpetual peace is thought able to rest. The major aim of this thesis is to provide an analysis of Kant’s Preliminary Articles as formulated in his Perpetual Peace.
In doing so, I will focus primarily on the relevant sections of his essay and provide secondary commentary where I deem it valuable. Finally, I will situate each of these conditions in a contemporary context and investigate to what extent the Dutch political system as being embedded in international law conforms to the necessary conditions here specified. As will become clear, several key documents implemented within the international legal system do appear to have adopted elements of the Kantian framework discussed. In order to make the translation from the 18th century to the modern world feasible, I will make use of a broad interpretation of the conditions in question without thereby losing their conceptual core.
The major aim of this thesis will consist of a systematic reconstruction of Kant’s critique in r... more The major aim of this thesis will consist of a systematic reconstruction of Kant’s critique in relation to the three recognized species of proofs for the existence of God, viz., the ontological, cosmological and physico-theological proofs. In doing so I will focus primarily on the relevant section in the Critique of Pure Reason in order to stay true to the original source, and accordingly a close reading of this interesting section will be a logical step. Second, I will analyze a contemporary objection to Kant’s critique of the ontological proof, namely that of Alvin Plantinga. As will become clear, Kant thought that the validity of the proofs of the other two species ultimately depend on the ontological one, and accordingly this latter species of proof can be considered paramount insofar it functions as the only possible one. Although Kant explicitly refers to Descartes’ version of the ontological argument, it seems fair to assume this critique extends to Anselm’s version as well, since this latter version reflects its archetype. As such, Plantinga analyzes and reformulates Anselm’s version of the ontological argument and attempts to dismiss the relevance of Kant’s objection to both the original version and Plantinga’s own modal reformulation. Since Kant’s critique of speculative theology thus formulated had a major impact on subsequent thought insofar the possibility of such knowledge became questionable, Plantinga’s objection to an important part of just this critique can be regarded as interesting and refreshing in its own right.
Van het hele spectrum van interpretaties van de Koran vormt het salafisme een duidelijke stroming... more Van het hele spectrum van interpretaties van de Koran vormt het salafisme een duidelijke stroming. Het ontkennen van het islamitische gehalte hiervan is indicatief voor politieke correctheid. Als er één vraag bestaat die nog steeds relevant lijkt, is het hoe we het handelen van de IS dienen te kwalificeren. De meningen hierover lopen sterk uiteen. Daar waar sommige experts benadrukken dat IS' handelen alles behalve een islamitische grondslag heeft, wordt deze eerste opvatting door sommigen afgeschreven als een uiting van (politieke) correctheid. Zo dient IS' handelen volgens alternatieve benaderingen als islamitisch pur sang te worden opgevat. Dat IS' handelen vanuit een humaan perspectief gruwelijk is staat niet ter discussie. Zo is het evident dat menig christen, atheïst, jood en een overgrote meerderheid van moslims zich (openlijk) distantiëren van zowel de gruwelijkheid van IS' handelen alsook hieraan voorafgaande (religieuze) legitimeringen.
De vrees voor informele stigmatisering van vrouwen die voor een kind met Down kiezen ondanks voor... more De vrees voor informele stigmatisering van vrouwen die voor een kind met Down kiezen ondanks voorafgaande bekendheid hiervan weegt minder zwaar dan de individuele vrijheid om te kiezen voor de NIPT. Tweede Kamerlid Carla Dik-Faber (ChristenUnie) heeft zich in de media uitgesproken over de stigmatisering of negatieve beeldvorming die het beschikbaar maken van de NIPT (Niet Invasieve Prenatale Test) teweeg zal kunnen brengen. De nieuwe test heeft, in tegenstelling tot de al beschikbare tests (de vlokkentest en vruchtwaterpunctie), het voordeel dat er geen risico is op een miskraam. Het gemak waarmee de test kan worden toegepast alsook onwetendheid bestaande onder zwangere vrouwen zijn voor Dik-Faber redenen om hier voorzichtig mee om te gaan. Sterker, het onvoorwaardelijk beschikbaar maken van de NIPT zal er volgens haar voor zorgen dat vrouwen met een kind met het Downsyndroom zich zullen moeten verantwoorden tegenover anderen en zo wijdverspreide stigmatisering in de hand werkt. Los van de vraag of de vrees voor stigmatisering reëel is mag dit mijns inziens geen afbreuk doen aan de individuele vrijheid van iedere vrouw om onvoorwaardelijk voor de NIPT te kunnen kiezen.
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Books by Brandon P.
For more information about the authors and a digital version of the book, see: http://redraftingperpetualpeace.org/kant-for-kids/
Papers by Brandon P.
In doing so, I will focus primarily on the relevant sections of his essay and provide secondary commentary where I deem it valuable. Finally, I will situate each of these conditions in a contemporary context and investigate to what extent the Dutch political system as being embedded in international law conforms to the necessary conditions here specified. As will become clear, several key documents implemented within the international legal system do appear to have adopted elements of the Kantian framework discussed. In order to make the translation from the 18th century to the modern world feasible, I will make use of a broad interpretation of the conditions in question without thereby losing their conceptual core.
For more information about the authors and a digital version of the book, see: http://redraftingperpetualpeace.org/kant-for-kids/
In doing so, I will focus primarily on the relevant sections of his essay and provide secondary commentary where I deem it valuable. Finally, I will situate each of these conditions in a contemporary context and investigate to what extent the Dutch political system as being embedded in international law conforms to the necessary conditions here specified. As will become clear, several key documents implemented within the international legal system do appear to have adopted elements of the Kantian framework discussed. In order to make the translation from the 18th century to the modern world feasible, I will make use of a broad interpretation of the conditions in question without thereby losing their conceptual core.