Leibniz on Slavery and the Ownership of Human Beings
Leibniz puts forward an intriguing argument against the moral permissibility of chattel slavery in a text from 1703. This argument has three independent layers or sub-arguments. The first is that slavery violates natural rights. The second is that moral laws such as the principles of equity and piet...
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Aperio
2019-12-01
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| Series: | Journal of Modern Philosophy |
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| Online Access: | https://jmphil.org/article/id/2132/ |
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| author | Julia Jorati |
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| author_sort | Julia Jorati |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Leibniz puts forward an intriguing argument against the moral permissibility of chattel slavery in a text from 1703. This argument has three independent layers or sub-arguments. The first is that slavery violates natural rights. The second is that moral laws such as the principles of equity and piety oppose slavery, or at least severely limit the permissible actions toward slaves. The third and final layer is that slavery can at most be justified if the slave is permanently incapable of conducting herself well. Yet, it is very doubtful that any actual human beings satisfy that description. This paper analyzes and evaluates Leibniz’s argument, which scholars have so far largely neglected. Even though some elements of the argument are not original to Leibniz, it is of considerable importance for the scholarship of early modern philosophy: it sheds light on Leibniz’s views not only on the moral status of slavery itself, but also on moral rights and obligations more generally. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-7bc6d08fa2ef4d73bdb834c6eeec98ac |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2644-0652 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2019-12-01 |
| publisher | Aperio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Modern Philosophy |
| spelling | doaj-art-7bc6d08fa2ef4d73bdb834c6eeec98ac2025-01-31T16:07:56ZengAperioJournal of Modern Philosophy2644-06522019-12-011010.25894/jmp.2132Leibniz on Slavery and the Ownership of Human BeingsJulia Jorati0https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6110-0959Philosophy, University of Massachusetts AmherstLeibniz puts forward an intriguing argument against the moral permissibility of chattel slavery in a text from 1703. This argument has three independent layers or sub-arguments. The first is that slavery violates natural rights. The second is that moral laws such as the principles of equity and piety oppose slavery, or at least severely limit the permissible actions toward slaves. The third and final layer is that slavery can at most be justified if the slave is permanently incapable of conducting herself well. Yet, it is very doubtful that any actual human beings satisfy that description. This paper analyzes and evaluates Leibniz’s argument, which scholars have so far largely neglected. Even though some elements of the argument are not original to Leibniz, it is of considerable importance for the scholarship of early modern philosophy: it sheds light on Leibniz’s views not only on the moral status of slavery itself, but also on moral rights and obligations more generally.https://jmphil.org/article/id/2132/Leibnizslaverychildrenrightspropertyjustice |
| spellingShingle | Julia Jorati Leibniz on Slavery and the Ownership of Human Beings Journal of Modern Philosophy Leibniz slavery children rights property justice |
| title | Leibniz on Slavery and the Ownership of Human Beings |
| title_full | Leibniz on Slavery and the Ownership of Human Beings |
| title_fullStr | Leibniz on Slavery and the Ownership of Human Beings |
| title_full_unstemmed | Leibniz on Slavery and the Ownership of Human Beings |
| title_short | Leibniz on Slavery and the Ownership of Human Beings |
| title_sort | leibniz on slavery and the ownership of human beings |
| topic | Leibniz slavery children rights property justice |
| url | https://jmphil.org/article/id/2132/ |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT juliajorati leibnizonslaveryandtheownershipofhumanbeings |