Faculty Colloquium: Pauline Kleingeld

Abstract

Kant’s Groundwork is a philosophical classic, but its overall argument is considered puzzling, and its third section is widely seen as obscure. Kant scholars and Kantian theorists disagree deeply about the proper characterization of Kant’s metaethical position and his argument in support of it. Some argue that he is a metaethical value realist who grounds his moral theory on a presupposed value, such as the value of freedom or the absolute worth of persons. Others argue that he is a metaethical constitutivist who grounds moral obligation in the constitutive principles of rational agency. In this colloquium, Kleingeld draws on Kant’s discussion of philosophical method and important parallels between the Groundwork and the Prolegomena to show that the Groundwork contains a three-step argument that runs in the opposite direction from how it is usually thought to go.

Bio

Pauline Kleingeld studied in Leiden and Frankfurt am Main, completing her PhD in 1994 from Leiden University. In 1993, she assumed the role of Assistant Professor, subsequently advancing to Associate Professor at Washington University in St. Louis by 2001. Her tenure at Washington University spanned until 2004. From 2004 to 2010, she held the position of Professor of Philosophy at Leiden University. Since January 1, 2011, Kleingeld has been a member of the faculty at the University of Groningen.

Her academic pursuits center around Kant and Kantian philosophy, as well as ethics and political philosophy. Kleingeld is recognized for her authorship of notable works such as "Kant and Cosmopolitanism: The Philosophical Ideal of World Citizenship" (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2012; paperback 2013) and "Fortschritt und Vernunft: Zur Geschichtsphilosophie Kants" (Würzburg: Königshausen und Neumann, 1995). Additionally, she has curated three volumes featuring translations of texts by Immanuel Kant and Gottfried Achenwall.

In 2020, Kleingeld was honored with the Spinoza Prize, acknowledging her significant contributions to academia. Presently, she serves as the director of the NWO-funded research program "Universal Moral Laws" (2019-2023) and leads the project funded by the Spinoza Prize, focusing on Kant, Kantianism, and morality. Her previous leadership roles include directing three other NWO-funded research programs: "Morality beyond illusions: Re-assessing the philosophical implications of empirical studies of moral agency" (2009-2013), "Kant on morality and empirical knowledge of moral agency" (2011-2015), and "The moral relevance of weakness of will: A dispositional account" (2012-2016). Furthermore, Kleingeld serves as a co-Principal Investigator on the NWO-funded 'gravitation' consortium grant, "Sustainable Cooperation" (2017-2026).