Title: Good Will, Duty, and the Categorical Imperative
Immanuel Kant
Student: Georgiana Puti
Course: Introduction to Moral Philosophy
Date: 8th November 2014
What is the connection between rationality and morality in Kant’s view?
Morality and rationality is depicted by Kant as an action of dignity thus the connection between rationality and morality in Kant’s view is dignity. In the first and second paragraph I will discuss and argue what it morality and rationality and what is a moral and rational act. Then I will discuss the connection between rationality and mortality followed by a comparison and argument.
According to Immanuel Kant ‘to act morally is to act from no other motive than the motive pf doing what is right’ (p.129) therefore …show more content…
never lie) in certain circumstances may not be seen as ‘morally wrong’ for example if we take the case scenario of lying to a kidnapper, is this seen as morally wrong? Thus are our actions justified as right or wrong based on the condition and the person we are lying to? This contradicts Kant’s principle as one is not being treated an end within themselves but rather as a mean. As lying to a kidnapper is not wrong since the kidnapper is portrayed as the ‘negative’ character, thus they do not have dignity, kidnappers are not rational beings so they don’t deserve to be treated as an end in the kingdom of ends. Kant would argue that we are ‘morally responsible for the consequences of lying but we are not responsible for telling the truth’, thus lying on the basis of consequences is irrational as consequences are out of our control, when one choses to lie we are responsible for lying no matter the circumstances or the character of the person we are lying to.
In conclusion, the connection between morality and rationality in Kant’s view is dignity. A moral and rational person is one who chooses to treat others as an end within themselves. A moral person does not act so because they feel like it’s the right thing to do, thus sentiment has no value in the kingdom of ends other than that of the free will to do what is
Immanuel Kant
Student: Georgiana Puti
Course: Introduction to Moral Philosophy
Date: 8th November 2014
What is the connection between rationality and morality in Kant’s view?
Morality and rationality is depicted by Kant as an action of dignity thus the connection between rationality and morality in Kant’s view is dignity. In the first and second paragraph I will discuss and argue what it morality and rationality and what is a moral and rational act. Then I will discuss the connection between rationality and mortality followed by a comparison and argument.
According to Immanuel Kant ‘to act morally is to act from no other motive than the motive pf doing what is right’ (p.129) therefore …show more content…
never lie) in certain circumstances may not be seen as ‘morally wrong’ for example if we take the case scenario of lying to a kidnapper, is this seen as morally wrong? Thus are our actions justified as right or wrong based on the condition and the person we are lying to? This contradicts Kant’s principle as one is not being treated an end within themselves but rather as a mean. As lying to a kidnapper is not wrong since the kidnapper is portrayed as the ‘negative’ character, thus they do not have dignity, kidnappers are not rational beings so they don’t deserve to be treated as an end in the kingdom of ends. Kant would argue that we are ‘morally responsible for the consequences of lying but we are not responsible for telling the truth’, thus lying on the basis of consequences is irrational as consequences are out of our control, when one choses to lie we are responsible for lying no matter the circumstances or the character of the person we are lying to.
In conclusion, the connection between morality and rationality in Kant’s view is dignity. A moral and rational person is one who chooses to treat others as an end within themselves. A moral person does not act so because they feel like it’s the right thing to do, thus sentiment has no value in the kingdom of ends other than that of the free will to do what is