Ocr Philosophy - Kant's Moral Argument

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Where is Kant's Moral Argument found?

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'The critique of practical reason'

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What does Kant say in his argument?

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He says that it is a postulate of practical reason that God exists. (Postulate: something which is probably true or reasonable to think is true but not completely provable.

The focus of Kant's moral argument is to show that it is reasonable to conclude that because perfect virtue ought to be rewarded by perfect happiness God must exist in order to bring this state of affairs about.

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Postulates of practical reason

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1) Immortality [humans are immortal].

2) God exists

3) Freedom [humans are autonomous, rational agents who are free to choose between different possibilities].

Kant believes that freedom is an important postulate for practical reason as he believes that humans can work out for themselves what is right or wrong.

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Categorical imperatives in Kant's moral argument.

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The categorical imperative is linked to a person freely making a moral decision from a sense of duty/obligation without linking about the outcome of the choice that is made. Kant believes that the demands of the categorical imperative means that human beings should always act out of duty regardless of the consequences. He also says that it is rational to assume that humans should do their duty for its own sake and not out of desire for any reward.

Kant says that moral duty should be done for its own sake because it is rational and not because God commands it to be done.

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Kant believes that morality is autonomous rather than heteronomous.

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Autonomous morality:

1) Freely chosen

2) Can be discovered by reason

3) Independent of God

Kant doesn't argue that morality comes from God, therefore God must exist.

Heteronomous morality:

1) Imposed by an outside force

2) Not freely chosen

3) This is the view that morality and God are linked together.

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Kant's Moral Argument

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1) Kant thinks that its is rational to say that perfect virtue ought to be rewarded by perfect happiness.

2) Kant calls the combination of perfect happiness and perfect goodness the Summum Bonum or the highest good.

3) Kant concludes, using a posteriori reasoning, that Summum Bonum is not achieved in our earthy life. Therefore, Kant says that because Summum Bonum ought to be achieved it can be achieved and as it isn't achieved in this life, then it must be achieved in the next.

4) Kant thinks that God who is omnipotent, omniscient and benevolent must exist in order to bring about the Summum Bonum.

5) Kant affirms that it is reasonable to argue that perfect virtue ought to be rewarded by perfect happiness.

6) Humans cannot achieve the Summum Bonum without God and an afterlife. Therefore, God must exist to provide the Summum Bonum.

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Objections to Kant's Moral Argument

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1) Categorical imperative -> Kant says that if something ought to be done it should be done. As perfect virtue ought to be rewarded by perfect happiness and is not in this life, them it will be after we die in heaven. However, just because something is said to happen doesn't mean that it actually will happen. Therefore, Kant's argument is wrong to assume that people ought to be rewarded with the Summum Bonum they will be rewarded by God in this way. Kant's argument uses wishful thinking as it says that people should be rewarded by God rather than will be rewarded. Philosophers will argue that if good people are not rewarded, then that is a good indication that God does not exist.

2) Brian Davies says that even if the Summum Bonum is a real possibility it is not possible for us to infer that God is the being to bring it about. Davies points out that the Summum Bonum could be actualised by a number of Gods working together or an angel, it doesn't have to be the theistic God.

3) Kant believes that humans are rational, autonomous beings who freely have the potential to do right and wrong. This fairness and reasonableness are built into the structure of the universe. However, the opposite may happen e.g. bad things may happen to good people.