Freedom and Perfection

'Kant transformed political philosophy by making freedom rather than happiness the 'essential end' of humankind, and Fichte, Hegel, and Marx rang variations on this theme.  True enough, but so did Schiller and von Humboldt, and it all began with Leibniz, whom Kant adapted as well as criticized, and who remained the source of so much in German philosophy.  Douglas Moggach tells this important story with verve as well as accuracy!' Paul Guyer, Brown University 'Douglas Moggach unfolds the subjectivity-theoretical foundations of freedom by tracing the multi-layered paths from Leibniz to Marx. He demonstrates their relevance for contemporary ethics with impressive historical depth and great systematic clarity. For all readers interested in an up-to-date practical philosophy Freedom and Perfection is simply THE book to read.' Michael Quante, University of Münster 'Douglas Moggach's Freedom and Perfection is a remarkable achievement. By tracing the development of German idealist thought from Leibniz, and with a focus on its political expression, Moggach has revealed a movement with that 'unity in diversity' which for Leibniz had characterized the goal of the modern political community itself.' Paul Redding, The University of Sydney