Dostoevsky and Kant: Dialogues on Ethics

Putting aside the question of whether the philosopher Kant directly influenced novelist Dostoevsky, Cherkasova combines the Kantian concept of deontology with Dostoevsky's category of the heart, rather than reason, as the moral foundation for ethics, in this exploration of why duty is central to our moral life. She demonstrates that Kant, by means of philosophical argumentation, and Dostoevsky, by means of imaginative narrative, both focus on the central questions of human freedom, moral choice, individual responsibility, and the possibilities for "radical evil" in human nature and conduct. The book will be of interest to ethicists generally and to those who wish to see Kant through a new lens. Author Cherkasova teaches philosophy at Suffolk University. The Center for Ethics, Peace, and Social Justice, affiliated with the Philosophy Department at State University of New York-Cortland, co-sponsors this title in a series on value inquiry originating in an international scholarly program founded in 1992. VIBS series editor Peter Redpath teaches philosophy at St. John's University. Annotation 2009 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)