Abstract
<jats:title>Abstract</jats:title> <jats:p>Most often the highest good is analyzed in relation to action. After all, Kant says that it is the object of all moral willing. The dominant line of questioning has been: in Kant’s pure ethics that focuses solely on intentions, why should any object (especially one including happiness) be included at all? I explain why this focus on its moral-practical function has overlooked a deeper transcendental function that grounds certain instances of contemplation. Beyond explaining why the highest good is central for our lives as contemplative (i.e., philosophical) beings, I present why much work on the nature of the ideal has missed its unique reality. In the process, I also situate my perspective among the extant interpretive camps and present the overall structure of my book.</jats:p>