ABSTRACT
The most original part of "Private Right," and the most extensive in its application, is Immanuel Kant's treatment of property rights, rights to things. The Metaphysics of Morals begins with a discussion of "The Relation of the Capacities of the Human Mind to Moral Laws." This chapter discusses Immanuel Kant's way of deriving the various formulations of the categorical imperative from the concept of a categorical imperative as such and from each other. It suggests that property is of primary importance, both in Kant's view of civil society as elaborated in "Public Right," and in "Private Right." The chapter seeks to indicate the essential points in Kant's theory. It uses "property right" as equivalent to "right to a thing," and "property" as the object of a right to a thing, something one owns. The chapter indicates the distinction by translating Willkur as "the capacity for choice" or simply "choice" and Wille as "pure practical reason".
