Project manager: Prof. Dr. Heiner F. Klemme
Duration of Project: ongoing
The concept of obligation, which was introduced in the philosophical debate mainly by Christian Wolff, lies at the heart of this project. Its significance from a historical, philosophical and interdisciplinary perspective will be explored and discussed, while paying particular attention to the period of the Enlightenment.
"Obligation" (Verbindlichkeit) is, with the term "Verpflichtung" used in the (philosophical, legal, theological) terminology of the 18th century as a translation of "obligatio" (in Pufendorf and Wolff among others). Occasionally, the concept of duty (Pflicht) is also used, but rather in a narrow sense, as a synonym for "officium". While "obligation" (Verbindlichkeit) denotes the relationship or the bound ("vinculum") that exists between men and their general rules of action, the concept of duty (Pflicht), used in the narrower sense, expresses a concrete action whose execution is required from a person by a rule, a law or a norm. The binding nature (Verbindlichkeit) of a rule, a law or norm is typically traced back to a will which has the authority to compel another person (active and passive obligation - Verbindlichkeit or Verpflichtung).
In principle, this applies to the will of God (divine law) or to the will of a people (human law). With the concept of natural law, the question arises whether this law can be traced back to the will of God or has validity independently from God.
In the latter case (anti-voluntarism) the binding nature (Verbindlichkeit) of natural law is attributed to reason, the necessity for which is also subject to divine will (Grotius, Wolff).
Generally, a law can be understood as a rule to which compliance is necessary (practical necessity, moral necessity).
The project has three dimensions: firstly, the various meanings of "Verbindlichkeit" in moral and legal terms in the era of the Enlightenment need to be clarified and examined in respect to their philosophical content. Secondly, we will evaluate the general relation between the concept of "Verbindlichkeit" and modern theories of practical reason (rationality). And thirdly, the semantic fields to which "Verbindlichkeit" belongs will be analysed in an interdisciplinary perspective (theology, history, literature, etc.).
The IZEA is housed within the Martin-Luther-Universität Halle-Wittenberg. As an institution of advanced study on the cultural and intellectual history of the 18th century, the IZEA contends with a period that laid the foundations of modern western society.
Martin-Luther-Universität Halle-Wittenberg
Interdisziplinäres Zentrum für die
Erforschung der Europäischen Aufklärung (IZEA)
Franckeplatz 1 // Haus 54
06110 Halle
Deutschland
izea(at)izea.uni-halle.de
Tel.: +49 345 55 21781
Fax: +49 345 55 27252