The figures of friendship in Kant and their relation to Moral, Law and Politics

Abstract

This essay deals with Kant’s concept of friendship and tries to relate it
to Kantian moral, legal and political theories. As a way to present an introduction
to the topic, the text begins by bringing Aristotle’s concept and forms of friendship.
After that, the concept and forms of friendship Kant presented both in his
Doctrine of Virtue (The Metaphysic of Morals) and Lectures on Ethics are handled.
Then the text approaches the problems and the advantages of Kant’s concept of
friendship and, last but not least, under the inspiration of Aristotle, it tries to
bring Kant’s theory of friendship closer to his moral, legal and political theories.