| In response to critics who claim that Kant's ethics is undesirably individualistic, I argue that social institutions and relationships play a central role in Kant's moral philosophy. In the first place, I argue, the best way to understand Kant's idea of the highest good---the ultimate end of moral action---is as a kind of ethical community, similar to the realm of ends. Second, I argue, Kantian agents have a duty to participate in social institutions and relationships because these institutions play an invaluable role in bringing about this goal by fostering moral characters. In separate chapters, I examine three such institutions---moral education, friendship, and participation in civil society. |
