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Kant's Absolute View Of Human Morality

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In this essay I will explore Kant’s absolute view of the human moral. Kant uses examples to explain what it means to be moral, and if that moral behavior is universal. Kant argues that in order for an action to be considered good, all its intentions must be good as well. We undertake tasks because we think they will serve as a moral duty. Kant argues that a moral law that is almost innate in all of us holds us all—there is an unwritten code that most of us try and follow. On page 860, Kant writes, “…there is an estimation of worth which far outweighs all the worth of whatever is recommended by the inclinations, and that the necessity that I act from pure respect for the practical law constitutes my duty. To duty every other motive must give …show more content…

On page 886, Kant writes, “we assume that we are free in the order of efficient causes so that we can conceive of ourselves as subject to moral laws in the order of ends. And then we think of ourselves subject to these laws because we have ascribed freedom of the will to ourselves.” Kant then further points out that this argument is indeed a circular one. Autonomy is in and of itself described as freedom and self-legislation. I believe that what Kant is trying to say here is that humans think they are free because of our own morals, but the morals themselves are based on freedom. The argument is revolving around the fact that humans do not know how to perfectly divide freedom and law. On page 888, Kant states, “the Idea of freedom makes me a member of the intelligible world.” I believe that this is a direct statement in saying that Kant sees a difference between the ordinary, which I think to be the world seen though the senses, and the intelligible world. I believe that Kant is trying to say that we are all apart of the sensible world, but true freedom—even though we are all subject to the sensible world—lies in the intelligible worlds. In the intelligible world, freedom is a priori. As Kant writes on page 889, “…thus rendering a priori synthetic propositions on which all knowledge of a system of nature rests”—as he speaks of the intelligible

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Critiques of Kantian moral philosophy on the basis of emptiness come from a variety of thinkers and from many different schools of thought. For example, Mill claims the universal law permits commonly immoral behavior and can only become consistent by resorting to Utilitarianism. ‘ ‘All he shows is that the consequences of their universal adoption would be such as no one would choose to incur’’ (Mill.Uti.162). Mill criticizes Kant for failing to identify ‘‘the actual duties of morality’’ (Mill.

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*This essay is to argue against Immanuel Kant’s categorical imperative as the universal law; it should apply to all people at all times. This idea is known as the formula of universal law. One must ask oneself “should I act in a way that I could will that my maxim become a universal law?” The formula of humanity,

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The act of free will exists, and since it exists, there must have been a time period in which the existence of the act of will did not exist and its prior existence leaves out the question of its existence beforehand, we must conclude that it is unknown whether the will existed before an individual act of willing.13 Since a being will remain indeterminate and is incapable of being determined until external concepts are used to independently determine the earlier nonexistence of the existing act of will. This entails that without an antecedently determining ground, there can be no concept of the movement from the prior nonexistence to the current existence of an act of will.14 When I will to write this paper and in order for this act to be contingent, it has to be possible that I do not will to write this paper. There needs to be a ground that determines the move from me either writing the paper or not writing this paper to the actuality that I write it. Kant concludes in The New Elucidation, that the libertarian concept is free will is clearly inferior to a compatibilist account in tune with the principle of determining

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For Kant, Morality is based on choice, or autonomy. If someone has the right of an autonomous will, they act based upon an action because it is simply desirable. In Contrast, Utilitarian’s believe that morality should be centered on what will bring the greatest happiness. I aim to demonstrate that Kant is right in his proposal on morality and autonomy by understanding and recognizing the flaws in the Utilitarian concept, and lastly addressing why Kant’s approach is more preferable. Before I address why Kant’s views on morality and the human autonomy is more preferable, it is important to understand what is being said on the Utilitarian’s terms.

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The most central and perhaps most controversial thesis that Kant argues for in the Critique of Pure Reason is that of transcendental idealism, namely, the notions that there is a distinction between things as they appear to us and things as they are in themselves, that we do not and cannot have knowledge of things as they are in themselves, and that things as they appear to us are, in some sense and to some extent, mind-dependent. Interpretations of Kant’s arguments for this thesis have divided philosophers into two camps: one-worlders and two-worlders. In this paper, I reject the latter view and focus on three different one-world interpretations to show the strengths and weaknesses of each in order to find the most comprehensive and coherent

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He wanted to know how one can act morally and how actions were deemed morally right or wrong. In the article, Notes on Kantian Ethics, the basis behind his principles is discussed and evaluated. In Notes on Kantian Ethics, the article goes on to first discuss the issues that Kant had with a theory called consequentialism. In this case, he found it problematic that they viewed actions to be not particularly right

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Kant says that as a general guideline for action, just show me what my duty is I should “act so that I could will that my maxim could become a universal law.” Kant means to decide whether to act or in what way to act. Asking yourself what is the rule of principle, or maxim upon which I’m acting. If the principle of universal law for everyone, the action is my duty and it’s morally right to do.

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I hope to convince the reader that Kant’s Categorical Imperative is the better way to live a morally conscious life and more practical to follow as well. First I will briefly describe both Kant’s and Mill’s principles. Then I will go on to explain the advantages and disadvantages of both. Finally, I hope to provide a counterargument for some of Kant’s Categorical Imperatives downfalls. Kant states the Categorical Imperative as: "Act as if the maxim of your action were to become through your will and general natural law."

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