This is the first English translation of Friedrich Schleiermacher's mature ethical theory. Situated between the better-known positions of Kant and Hegel, Schleiermacher's ethics represent an under-explored option within the rich and creative tradition of German idealism. Although Schleiermacher is known to English readers primarily as a theologian and hermeneuticist, many German scholars have argued that his philosophical work in ethics constitutes his most outstanding intellectual achievement. This edition includes an historical and philosophical introduction and notes on further reading.