The concept of morality, the German word for which (Sittlichkeit) is attested since the early 16th century [1. 1271], rose to prominence in the first half of the 19th century especially in the fields of natural law and political theory. In the works of Immanuel Kant, morality was a feature of an action guided by the conviction that one was obligated to take said action by a given law (cf. Ethics 5.) [7. 214, 219, 225]; [9. 863]. “Law” in this context was limited neither to public statute nor positive law, but in addition encompassed all the principles of natural law; …
Morality(815 words)
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Eisfeld, Jens, “Morality”, in: Encyclopedia of Early Modern History Online, Editors of the English edition: Graeme Dunphy, Andrew Gow. Original German Edition: Enzyklopädie der Neuzeit. Im Auftrag des Kulturwissenschaftlichen Instituts (Essen) und in Verbindung mit den Fachherausgebern herausgegeben von Friedrich Jaeger. Copyright © J.B. Metzlersche Verlagsbuchhandlung und Carl Ernst Poeschel Verlag GmbH 2005–2012. Consulted online on 29 September 2023 <http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/2352-0272_emho_SIM_027564>
First published online: 2015
First print edition: 20200128
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