Introduction

The problematique (the methodological point of departure) of the current work is set on the very ‘possibility’ of a dialogue between Kantian moral command ethics and existential ethics scattered in the writings of Danish philosopher Søren Kierkegaard (1813-1855). While doing so, a broader theoretical perspective built up on Kantian ethics is contrasted with the Kierkegaardian quest for ethical selfhood. In his endeavour to reconcile the age-old debate between rationalism and empiricism, Immanuel Kant (1724-1804) not only touches almost all philosophical problems but also brings ground-breaking changes, dubbed as the Copernican Revolution. From the ‘philosophic humility’ to an account of the moral law, from the definition of beauty to the possibility of eternal peace and republicanism, Kantianism reverberates in almost all discussions on epistemology, ethics, aesthetics, political and legal philosophy and philosophy of history. The basic aim of Kant’s moral philosophy is to develop an account of autonomy as the source of human value and dignity. His ethics and politics revolve around the concept of the ‘categorical imperative’. Kant, who has been rightly dubbed as one of the most original geniuses of Western philosophy, has tremendous impact on the development of moral philosophy since the 18th century. His notions of end-in-itself, freedom, self-legislation, eternal peace and reverence for the law are most important considerations in any discourse on morality. The moral and political philosophy of Kant addresses diverse concerns of modern-day representative democracy and international relations. His views on natural rights, moral autonomy, human dignity and equality provide normative foundation for mankind’s attempts at reconstituting political systems, for overthrowing despotic regimes and for seeking to replace them with forms of politics capable of protecting and promoting these new emancipatory ideals.