Immanuel Kant's Categorical Imperative Essay

Immanuel Kant’s Categorical Imperative “Act only on the maxim by which you can at the same time will that it should become a universal law” (Groundwork,222) was said by the German philosopher Immanuel Kant. Born in 1724, Kant published his first major work late in his life, at the age of fifty-seven. His major works include: Critique of Pure Reason was a critique of David Hume’s problem regarding human knowledge, Groundwork on the Metaphysic of Morals regarding his core principles of morality, and the Critique of Judgment. In the Groundwork Kant argues reason is the source of morality and formulated a theory which he called “The Categorical Imperative.” It tries to reduce morality to simple rules that ejects the same moral choices every time. For Kant, if someone lived following the categorical imperative they would be moral. They would follow maxims, rules of conduct, that are universal, good for humanity, and autonomous. Kant’s view on morality and the categorical imperative does not provide clear moral answers to severe moral situations and leaves gray areas in modern situations. “If the moral law expresses our duty and if there is something necessary about our duty, then it seems the moral law …show more content…
Kant writes, “Power, wealth, honour, even health and that total well-being… can make a person bold but consequently often reckless as well, unless a good will is present to correct their influence on the mind.” Kant critiques these good qualities that can be used for good and evil. A great example would be Hitler, who used his charm, intelligence, and power to commit atrocious acts! Kant comes to the conclusion that “It is impossible to imagine anything at all in the world, or even beyond it, that can be called good without qualification, except a good will.” (G 195) The next question would be, what makes a good