Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in
Palgrave Macmillan

A Theory of Practical Reason

  • Book
  • © 2023

Overview

Authors:
  1. Julian Nida-Rümelin

    1. Faculty of Philosophy, Ludwig-Maximilians Universität, Munich, Germany

    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed   Google Scholar

  • ​Presents a highly original theory that reconciles age old oppositions between teleology and deontology
  • Offers a way between universalist and particularist ethics, between rational choice and practical reason
  • Offers insights applicable to other disciplines like economics, sociology, political theory, and law

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this book

Log in via an institution
eBook USD 44.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book USD 59.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book USD 59.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Other ways to access

Licence this eBook for your library

Institutional subscriptions

Table of contents (8 chapters)

  1. Front Matter

    Pages i-xv
    Download chapter PDF

  2. Introduction and Overview

    • Julian Nida-Rümelin
    Pages 1-6

  3. Practical Philosophy

    • Julian Nida-Rümelin
    Pages 7-14

  4. Structural Rationality

    • Julian Nida-Rümelin
    Pages 15-43

  5. Structural Agency

    • Julian Nida-Rümelin
    Pages 45-84

  6. The Phenomenology of Structural Rationality

    • Julian Nida-Rümelin
    Pages 85-135

  7. Morality and Rationality

    • Julian Nida-Rümelin
    Pages 137-176

  8. The Efficacy of Reasons

    • Julian Nida-Rümelin
    Pages 177-216

  9. Metaphysical Aspects

    • Julian Nida-Rümelin
    Pages 217-243

  10. Back Matter

    Pages 245-283
    Download chapter PDF
Back to top

Keywords

About this book

In this book, German philosopher Julian Nida-Rümelin presents a theory of practical reason that is objectivist, or rather realist, as an alternative to the widespread subjectivism in the theory of rationality. This theory has pragmatic traits that can be read as a constructive counterpart to Nida-Rümelin's critique of consequentialism whilst embedding its conception of rationality in the conceptual framework of decision and game theory.

Reviews

“A Theory of Practical Reason is a major contribution to philosophy, manifesting to the full the author’s immense scholarship in philosophy, economics and decision theory.” (David Gordon, Mises Institute)

"Julian Nida-Ruemelin is in the very top rank of contemporary German philosophers. This volume is the first extensive presentation in English of his conception of practical reason, or rationality in action. It deserves a place on the bookshelf of any philosopher interested in practical rationality, alongside the works of such authors as T.M. Scanlon and John Skorupski. Nida-Ruemelin's approach is a form of 'reasons realism' in that it begins with the assumption that individuals can have good reason to do something apart from their current beliefs and preferences. But he then argues that what counts as a good reason is not independent of an individual's overall belief and preference structure and that of the larger collectivities with which theindividual interacts. His model is thus a distinctive combination of realism and coherentism about reasons." (Paul Guyer, Jonathan Nelson Professor of Philosophy and Humanities, Brown University, USA)


“A Theory of Practical Reason lays out a comprehensive vision that speaks to perennial problems in practical philosophy. Nida-Rümelin defends a version of what the ancients call the unity of reason. There is no deep distinction between moral and epistemic norms. Emotions are located in an agent’s “reason,” the state of mind relevant to deliberation and rational action. This research program is of great interest to theorists from a wide range of traditions and disciplines.” (Katja Maria Vogt, Professor of Philosophy at Columbia University)



Authors and Affiliations

  • Faculty of Philosophy, Ludwig-Maximilians Universität, Munich, Germany

    Julian Nida-Rümelin

About the author

Julian Nida-Rümelin is professor emeritus of philosophy and political theory at the Ludwig-Maximilians University of Munich, Germany. He is member of the  Berlin-Brandenburg Academy of Sciences and the European Academy of Sciences and Arts. He was state minister for culture and media in the first government of Gerhard Schröder.   

Bibliographic Information

  • Book Title: A Theory of Practical Reason

  • Authors: Julian Nida-Rümelin

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-17319-6

  • Publisher: Palgrave Macmillan Cham

  • eBook Packages: Religion and Philosophy, Philosophy and Religion (R0)

  • Copyright Information: The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2023

  • Hardcover ISBN: 978-3-031-17318-9Published: 09 March 2023

  • Softcover ISBN: 978-3-031-17321-9Published: 09 March 2024

  • eBook ISBN: 978-3-031-17319-6Published: 08 March 2023

  • Edition Number: 1

  • Number of Pages: XV, 283

  • Number of Illustrations: 5 b/w illustrations

  • Topics: Ethics, Philosophy, general

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Back to top

Search

Navigation