Research Profile
As you can probably tell, my interests lie mainly in Kant's philosophy and in pretty much every aspect of it. I've done considerable work on both Kant's pre-Critical and Critical periods and on both his theoretical and moral philosophy. I've also done a fair amount on pre-Kantians, and I'm particularly interested in doing future work on the Thomasian tradition, which in my view has been neglected. But I am interested in many other things besides: Hutcheson, Berkeley, Bruno, the history and philosophy of the natural sciences and mathematics, medieval philosophy, Aristotle, philosophy of language, contemporary metaphysics, as well as the work of John McDowell and Wilfrid Sellars.
Book Projects
Metaphysics in Baumgarten and Kant. Edited with an introduction by Courtney D. Fugate and John Hymers, Oxford University Press. Forthcoming 2017.
Kant’s “Critique of Practical Reason”: A Reader’s Guide. Bloomsbury Academic. Forthcoming 2017. read the proposal
Alexander Baumgarten’s “Elements of First Practical Philosophy”: With Kant’s Notes and Related Materials. Translated with an introduction and notes by Courtney D. Fugate and John Hymers. Bloomsbury Academic. Forthcoming 2018. read the proposal
Mankind’s Purpose: Philosophy and Teleology before Kant’s Critical Turn. An interpretation of Kant’s pre-Critical philosophy which focuses on teleology in the young Kant and his predecessors.
Kant's Lectures on Metaphysics: A Critical Guide, ed. by Courtney D. Fugate. Under contract with Cambridge University Press. read the proposal
Papers in Development
What does Kant mean by “Enlightenment”?
This paper looks at Kant's discussion of enlightenment not only in his well-known essay, but across his entire corpus. This reveals a Kant at odds with all other popular understandings of enlightenment, but also uncertain about what exactly it should be taken to mean. In the end, Kant tends to identify enlightenment with the purely negative moment of transcendental criticism, which he understands as the first emergence of the autonomy of reason.
What is the Point of Kant’s Moral Proof of God’s Existence?
This paper aims to determine whether Kant's moral argument aims to prove existence or only possible existence. This question turns on whether God's existence, or rather merely his possible existence, is necessary in order to guarantee the possibility of the highest good. I evaluate the textual evidence for both readings and seek to shed light on the argument by putting it into the context of the contemporary distinction between epistemic and alethic possibility. The paper concludes that Kant intended to prove existence, and presents an interpretation of this consistent with the evidence presented in favor of the alternative reading.
The Methodological Significance of Experience in Kant's Prize Essay
The Ambiguity of Kant's Teleology
The Structure of Life and the Four Moments of the Beautiful in Kant's Critique of the Power of Judgment
This paper looks at Kant's discussion of enlightenment not only in his well-known essay, but across his entire corpus. This reveals a Kant at odds with all other popular understandings of enlightenment, but also uncertain about what exactly it should be taken to mean. In the end, Kant tends to identify enlightenment with the purely negative moment of transcendental criticism, which he understands as the first emergence of the autonomy of reason.
What is the Point of Kant’s Moral Proof of God’s Existence?
This paper aims to determine whether Kant's moral argument aims to prove existence or only possible existence. This question turns on whether God's existence, or rather merely his possible existence, is necessary in order to guarantee the possibility of the highest good. I evaluate the textual evidence for both readings and seek to shed light on the argument by putting it into the context of the contemporary distinction between epistemic and alethic possibility. The paper concludes that Kant intended to prove existence, and presents an interpretation of this consistent with the evidence presented in favor of the alternative reading.
The Methodological Significance of Experience in Kant's Prize Essay
The Ambiguity of Kant's Teleology
The Structure of Life and the Four Moments of the Beautiful in Kant's Critique of the Power of Judgment