Categorical imperative

Immanuel Kant was a German philosopher who was born on April 22, 1724. He is a central figure in modern philosophy. One of his biggest works is “Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Morals” that was written in 1785. Kant argued that right actions are only right if those actions are not instigated by impulses or desires, but by practical reason. He believes that actions are only right if it fulfills one’s duty. He believed that the morality of an action must be assessed in terms of the motivation…

in the Ethics of Plato and Kant”, by Christine Korsgaard, Kant's categorical model explains people's internal and external forces form inclinations, or our desires. He also says that humans must follow their own laws to be free, "But Mahida 5 Kant claims that the free will must be determined by some law or other... That is, it must act on a law which it gives to itself. And Kant says that this means that the categorical imperative just is the law of a free will. (Korsgaard 109). When a person…

“search for and establish the supreme principle of morality.” Kant believed everyone should be just as concerned for morality as he was including in moral truth. Kant introduces imperatives, and furthers this when differentiating hypothetical imperatives, and categorical imperatives. Kant also explains categorical imperatives in relation to “acting on maxims.” Kant’s ideals paved way for understanding the…

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…

German philosopher Immanuel Kant seeks to ground the metaphysics of morals in concepts of pure reason. Central to his work is “the categorical imperative,” that is, the formal procedure by which all rational beings may evaluate the moral worth of an action on the basis of its universalizability. In this essay, I will examine Kant’s ethic, specifically the categorical imperative, and assess the problems that arise within it. The fundamental basis of Kant’s moral philosophy appears to exist in…

On the other hand, Kant valued the internal reasoning behind external actions instead of the consequences associated with them. He would begin making ethical decisions by first asking specific questions that reflected his core values. Kant sought to make decisions that was best for everyone equally and that promotes the essentials for each individual (x)? So, Kant would counsel the individual to ask what decision is best for everyone. Would saving the five individuals by risking or causing the…

among others. Immanuel Kant thought that the only thing that have intrinsic value is good will. Kant believed that an action is correct only if is out of the parameters of our moral duties and such actions have to be right. Kant offers the categorical imperative theory which basically tell us how to know which actions are right. Therefore, we may be able to know what our moral duties are. Immanuel Kant introduces two key elements of his moral philosophy. The first one, good will as the only…

This paper will highlight Kant’s ethical theory that is presented in his book Foundations of a Metaphysic Morals. Kant wanted to establish an ethical system anyone can figure out regardless of sexual orientation, religion, race etc. Kant’s ethical “specialty” is deontology the study of duty. This paper explains want duty is, and all the other factors that goes along with this ideology. I will be presenting two different examples and explaining how Kant would approach the situation using his…

Utilitarianism and Kant’s deontological theory are both similar and conflicting in their own ways. The two proposals hold grounds that serve as foundational moral theories. Within utilitarianism, there is a way of quantifying pleasure and pain in order to apply the GHP. This group provides qualities of pleasure such as intensity, duration, certainty, and propinquity of pleasure. These qualities translate to how hard, how long, how reasonable, and how soon. Within ethical decision making these…

1 Kant would reject the charge, “bottom line, humans are nothing more than insignificant creatures with an animal nature.” This is because Kant believes that human beings are rational and act in accordance with moral principles. The categorical imperative, which is the moral law dictated by reason, is binding on all rational beings. He argues that rational beings cannot be treated as means to an end because they are ends in themselves. This requires respecting their reasoned motives. This is…