Susan Wolf's Moral Saint

Susan Wolf describes the moral saint as the person whose every action is as morally good as it can be. Wolf summaries’ from this that a Kantian and utilitarian moral saint would be ‘unpleasant and possibly disturbed psychological type’. Throughout essay I will be breaking down this statement, and looking at the qualities of a Kantian moral saint and a Utilitarian moral saint, to see the validity of Wolf’s statement.

My personal opinion on Wolf’s argument is to agree with her statement but to understand her argument one must understand what a moral saint is, as it is possible for a divide to come between good motives and good actions between good and honorable character and the ability to perform good actions. Wolf discusses two kinds of …show more content…
The perfect Kant moral saint does not does not have any extreme saint attributes. A Kantian moral saint has the responsibility of numerous duties, one that may require a moral saint to do someone else’s work in order to increase their own moral perfection. A Kantian moral saint my have a list of jobs that may over rule their own life. A Kantian moral saint is dominated by moral incentive, similar to Wolf 's idea of a moral saint. The Kantian moral saint has a duty to constantly average the morally good principle. The Kantian moral saint is ultimately controlled by a incentive to be all moral, there are many unmoral mental and physical attractions available to them is restricted. Any unmoral engagements appear to be pursued for moral reasons, appears to be conflicting with Wolf 's notion of the quest of unmoral merit for its own sake. Wolf considers a different understanding of the Kantian moral saint, one who will tolerate a higher possibility of being able to reasonably follow unmoral …show more content…
One may seek to be morally as good a possible, but the pursuit of such an ideal moral excellence should not be expected or required of anyone. Despite individuals who seek to pursue this moral excellence this is chosen as a personal project and is not expected. Qualities of the moral ability and the quest are highly significant, but these only signify one class of many virtues. We cannot and could not satisfy the moral principle nor is it a good idea for individuals to attempt. I support Wolf’s argument that both a Kantian and utilitarian moral saint would be ‘unpleasant and possibly disturbed psychological type’ I also believe that this type of saint hood isn’t for everyone but may be the right goal for some rare