Congratulations to Ben Pryce, a third year, Philosophy and Economics student who recently had an article published in Ethica: The Lancaster Journal of Undergraduate Philosophy. Titled Argument for the Impossibility of Free Immoral Action in Kant, the article explores Kant’s nature of free will and how it relates to moral law. Ben said:
“I’ve always found the idea of free will fascinating, but also daunting to think about, as I was afraid that if I thought it through properly, I’d end up deciding that it didn’t really exist! Writing the paper (in its original shorter form for Robert Stern’s Ethics module last year) was extremely rewarding, as it forced me to confront the issue head on and think rigorously about it, drawing from interpretations of Kant’s work as inspiration.”
Ethica is a student-run journal that publishes peer-reviewed, undergraduate essays and philosophical reviews in an annual edition. They provide a platform exclusively for Undergraduates, enabling students to share their innovative ideas and achieve their first publications. The Journal aims to foster dialogue and discussion around a multitude of philosophical themes. Ben said:
“I hope other students find the same satisfaction and clarity through writing articles for undergraduate journals - I really loved the experience of immersing myself in Kant and I’m really curious to explore this further and compare Kantian ethics with rival ethical systems - such as utilitarianism - which I had previously gravitated towards before reading Kant. I’m taking Dr Stern’s Løgstrup module next semester which will hopefully offer a refreshing and alternative take!”
Dr Robert Stern said, “I was really pleased to hear of Ben’s success. His original essay was very impressive, and I am delighted he has taken it further. I am also glad he found the Kant material so engaging and interesting and was motivated to put in the extra work required.”
You can read Ben’s article in the latest edition of Ethica here.
