Perfectionism from Wolff to Kant

Abstract

Abstract This chapter examines the evolution of moral perfectionism from Wolff to Kant through Baumgarten. Fugate argues that Kant’s moral philosophy can be understood as a form of perfectionism, focusing on the concept of natural perfection. Wolff initially presents this concept as a guide to identifying moral laws, while Baumgarten refines it into what Kant would call an “idea of reason,” i.e. a perfection from which arises certain regulative principles then applied to the system of moral laws. Fugate suggests that Kant, influenced by Baumgarten, adopts the idea of absolute perfection, viewing it as constitutive to free willing. Unlike earlier interpretations, Kant sees morality as stemming from the nature of free will itself rather than as a means to discover moral laws in nature. The chapter’s analysis of Kant’s notes on Baumgarten’s Elements highlights Kant’s emphasis on natural perfection as crucial to his ethical framework, marking a departure from traditional notions of perfectionism.