Kant and Schiller on the Harmony between Reason and Sensibility

Abstract

The paper aims to partially bridge the gap that separates Kant and Schiller regarding the relationship between reason and sensibility. Contrary to Schiller’s own claims, Kant’s ethics seeks a harmonious integration of the rational and emotional dimensions of the moral agent. I support this thesis by focusing on Kant’s concepts of the highest good and moral character. Finally, I highlight the difference between Kant and Schiller concerning the possibility of acting directly out of an emotion cultivated by practical reason. Nevertheless, I argue that even this difference can be reconciled, although doing so requires moving beyond a strictly faithful reading of Kant’s texts.