Immanuel Kant Concept Of Morality

Superior Essays
Topic One Immanuel Kant was an extremely influential philosopher in the 18th century, who many consider to be the father of modern philosophy. His groundbreaking work on morality is best exemplified in his book, The Grounding for the Metaphysics of Morals. This book introduces readers to the concepts of morality and the idea of what it means to have good will. Metaphysics is defined as a branch of philosophy that deals with the first principle of things which includes concepts such as being, knowing, substance, cause, identity, time and space. In this book, Kant explains that all rational knowledge is either formal or material. Formal philosophy is known as logic, and the material philosophy deals with determinate objects and laws that those …show more content…
Kant describes the categorical imperative as, “A categorical imperative, which declares an action to be of itself objectively necessary without reference to any purpose hold an apodictic practical principle” (25). While that quote seems confusing, it can be explained quite simply. Kant says that the CI is a set of rules that is to be followed by everyone due to their moral obligations. He goes on to explain that the CI is a necessary action that has an end in itself. Based upon this explanation, one can assume that the categorical imperative could be considered a necessity because it applies to everyone. This claim has a direct connection with another of Kant’s definitions. Kant defines a command as, “the representation of an objective principle insofar as it necessitates the will” (24). Following this logic, the CI can be considered a command in which the action performed is determined by reason and only reason, which in turn makes the action unconditionally good. Therefore, the categorical imperative is considered the right thing to do because the action commanded by it is led by reason rather than desire. Due to its nature, the CI is not subjectively binding and it does not simply apply to one individual. Returning to the original definition of the categorical imperative, one must also consider the apodictic principle. This principle describes how the action is attained and bound by …show more content…
The first proposition states that in order to have moral worth, an action must be done out of moral duty. The second proposition states that the moral worth of something is determined by an act of willing. This is essentially just doing the right thing regardless of whether your actions are rewarded. The final proposition talks about how moral worth states that moral duty is done because of a respect for the law. This is an example of a maxim. A maxim, per Kant, can be defined as, “the subjective principle of acting must be distinguished from the objective principle, viz., the practical law” (30). Kant uses contradiction to test the moral worth of maxims. On page 32, Kant explains that “some actions are so constituted that their maxims cannot without contradiction even be thought as a universal law of nature, much less be willed as what should become one” (32). Kant goes on to talk about the universality of moral

Related Documents

  • Improved Essays

    Some people may think determining the morality of an action as an easy task, and fail to realize that it is no easy task. Every action is driven by other actions, and depending on the circumstances, an act may be moral in some cases and not in others. This is why Kant favors the Categorical Imperative when compared to other methods of determining morality. The Categorical Imperative does not deal with circumstances, instead it denotes an all-encompassing rule that, if obeyed, means actions would be moral no matter what the situation may be. He first describes the Categorical Imperative when he states, “I should never act except in such a way that I can also will that my maxim should become a universal law” (Kant 14).…

    • 267 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Kant refers to an imperative as an obligation to do something. Kant explains “the categorical imperative declares the action to be objectively necessary without referring to any end in view … hold as apodictic practical principle” (Kant, pg.35). Within the categorical imperative types of duties are part of the formula. A human being can be faced with two types of duties, perfect duties and imperfect duties. Within the two types of duties are two different people the action could affect; oneself or others.…

    • 1396 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Kant argues that duty is based solely on reason (Kant,81). Kant believes that the act of lying, murdering, robbery are the wrong action and we have a duty not to do these things. According to Kant, consequences are not what makes an act right, but the right action makes the act right. Also, our good motives or intentions will lead us to the good path without qualification. The Categorical Imperative is the supreme principle of morality.…

    • 1072 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Categorical imperatives have no specific goals and just what to do the right thing. In all, Kant believes that one should not pursue morality by looking first at particular examples and then deriving a theory…

    • 1265 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    In the second chapter of Groundwork For the Metaphysics of Morals, Kant aims to move from the popular moral philosophy in order to establish a metaphysics of morals. Kant 's main opponents in this chapter are the philosophers of self-love. These philosophers argue that everyone is motivated by their rational self-interest. This viewpoint is dangerous to Kant; both supposedly moral acts and immoral acts come from the same source and are therefore indistinguishable. This viewpoint is also dangerous to him as it implies that reason is entirely slave to the passions; we can only act in a certain way if we have an interest in doing so.…

    • 775 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Superior Essays

    Asti Hastings 5 November 2017 Intro. To Ethics: Paper #2 The readings of Immanuel Kant in his book Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Morals, can be compared to reading a book in a completely different language. The words just looked like odd shapes on the page that I simply could not figure out. Reading these chapters was one of the hardest things I have ever done in a classroom.…

    • 1955 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Great Essays

    Immanuel Kant On Duty

    • 1621 Words
    • 7 Pages

    Due to examples such as the 2003 War in Iraq by the US, it can be seen that not all motivations are pure. Kant then states a limitation that not all actions are performed completely out of good will, and only categorical imperatives, which are actions that are done just for the sake of being done, and therefore considered as a priori since it is a means and an end, are truly pure. This is agreeable, however, it must be noted that hypothetical imperatives can also have good will (i.e. lying in order to protect someone’s feelings), yet at the same time, categorical imperatives would be more reliable. He gives four examples of categorical imperatives. Adherence to the first principle, which says one should not kill himself, is a must in order for humans to remain in the world, in addition to the importance of life.…

    • 1621 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Great Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Provides a system for analyzing the key objectives of this book such as the background, key issues, and ethical arguments. Deontological response is inferred for analysis. Immanuel Kant is referred to the concept of the categorical imperative which there are no arguments that…

    • 385 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    The categorical imperative is a moral obligation that is not dependent on the situation of individual, meaning there is a set rule for everyone. A Kantian would say that in order to do something, everyone else must also be allowed to do it. This means that if someone can lie, then everyone can lie, and if someone can steal then everyone can steal. A Kantian would add that if the situation in which you try to achieve your maxim is immoral, do not give up. Rather, you should find a different way in which to achieve the maxim.…

    • 1294 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    An Act Ethically Right

    • 394 Words
    • 2 Pages

    All human beings have free will to make decision but more importantly, everyone have good will. For Kant, good will has “whole value in itself” and “ its usefulness or fruitlessness can neither add to nor take away anything from this value”. Likewise, most individual would act to get something good out of it. However, the moral value of an act cannot rest on the consequences because a will is only good when it is good in itself and not what it accomplishes. Therefore, it is essential for Kant that one’s intention and reason play factors in determining whether an act is ethically right because one must act of duty for duty’s sake.…

    • 394 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Great Essays

    An Exploration of Othello: Delving into the Mind Frame of Desdemona and Iago Immanuel Kant’s view on ethics and morality is that in order to determine if we are acting in a fashion that can be deemed moral, we have not only a duty to ourselves but others. It is duty that determines our actions. Kant establishes certain limitations and restrictions upon the notion of duty, narrowing down a definition which would allow us to therefore be able to readily distinguish “whether the action which agrees with duty is done from duty, or from a selfish view” (Kant 2). In order to figure out whether our actions correspond to this concept of duty, Kant has established what is known as the categorical imperative which states that you should reflect upon your actions and be comfortable with them becoming a universal law. Insofar as duty is concerned, if we follow this principle it allows for a broader understanding of what is meant by moral and ethical behaviour.…

    • 2091 Words
    • 9 Pages
    Great Essays
  • Superior Essays

    Lastly, Kant presents A priori ideas, which in term is a special kind of idea that tells you about the possibility of human experience, however these experiences don’t depend on experience that you have already had, but are supplied by reason in order to make sense of an…

    • 1295 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Kant’s Groundworks of the Metaphysics of Morals, and Mill’s Utilitarianism, each offer different arguments about what is morality. They both give us fundamental and universal theories about morality. Before we compare the two, let’s first start with a summary of the main arguments of each philosopher. Mill begins chapter one by setting the stage for what he is going to discuss. Philosophers have discussed the foundation of morality for more than two thousand years.…

    • 1351 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Kant's Moral Theory Essay

    • 910 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Kant’s moral theory is based on the fact that one’s action should be governed by a maxim that follows the purity of the will; the idea that one’s actions should be based on a will that aligns with duty and not on the consequences of one’s actions. In the contrary, rule utilitarianism is based on the consequences of one’s actions and how it impacts the overall happiness of the individuals involved. The following paper focuses on the ideas of duty ethics and utilitarian ethics; and how these ideas can be implemented in the case of James Liang. Kant believes that an act is morally acceptable when such an act perfectly aligns with one’s duty. Furthermore, he believed that all rational beings are obligated by the demands of duty.…

    • 910 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Great Essays

    Kant explains that developing a “metaphysics of morals” help us gain a clear understanding of moral principles to align them with our moral duties. Kant argues moral principles are not based on factors such as circumstances, needs, and desires; they derive from a priori concepts. He makes the claims that actions are considered moral if they are performed without underlying motives, not on the basis of consequences, and not based out of mere duty. Kant is not a consequentialist and thinks intentions behind an action determines if it is good or bad. This is interrelated with the concept of good will.…

    • 1649 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Great Essays