THE RIGHT TO EDUCATION IN THE ETHICS OF HERMANN COHEN

Abstract

Hermann Cohen's ethics is grounded upon the concept of self-consciousness, understood as a form of universal subjectivity, which constitutes itself through the expression of the pure will. This is possible in virtue of the process of elaboration and passing of the law in the legislative power. This process has to depend on the widest possible participation of the citizens. If the pure will is the product of the agreement between the citizens, as a result of a debate, then Cohen´s ethics could possibly be interpreted as a form of consensualism. In this paper I try to show that this reading of the theory is not possible, because the right to the education for all the citizens cannot be rejected as a result of the public deliberation.