Online Course on the History of Philosophy: https://hotm.art/filosofia-eticakant Friedrich Nietzsche Course: https://hotm.art/kant-nietzsche ------------------------------------- Kant - Ethics of Duty ------------------------------------- In the Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Morals and in the Critique of Practical Reason Kant analyzes the foundations of moral action. What to do? Why act in such a way? These are the questions he tries to answer in these works. Kant rejects all previous moral doctrines because, according to him, they are based on metaphysical conceptions, therefore, impossible for man to know. Acting in order to obtain a place in heaven, or in accordance with the common good, or to seek happiness, or to avoid pain, or to achieve an interest; none of this makes sense to him, because all these metaphysical conceptions cannot be rationally sustained. When he says that they cannot be rationally sustained, he means that they cannot serve as the foundation for a moral action that is universal. Kant is looking for a foundation that serves every rational being, regardless of time and space, that is, no matter where and when he is. Every rational being will act according to this foundation. And what is the only thing that is inherent to man, regardless of the place or time he is living in? Reason. Man must follow only the universal laws that reason orders for moral action, without looking for other reasons. For Kant, men can act based on two types of orders, which he calls hypothetical and categorical imperatives. However, only one of them is rational. When man acts with some interest in mind, or following some inclination, he acts according to hypothetical imperatives. When he acts without intending to obtain anything, completely disinterested, his action is obeying a categorical imperative. Only this type of action is, for Kant, a rational action, because it is carried out only by duty, and for the sake of duty. But man is not a robot. He may not act according to duty. Thus, he must have the will, regardless of the circumstances (passions, desires, vices), to follow the moral law. This will, devoid of any inclination, is good will. For Kant, man is only rationally moral when he acts out of duty, without any kind of interest or inclination. Only this type of action can be universalized, which is a requirement of reason. Only man who acts according to the good will that leads him to follow his duty is free, because he acts without being a slave to his passions, obeying only the objective moral law that is valid for everyone, that is, universal. Thus, Kant's answer to the question "what to do" is: "act in such a way that the motive that led you to act can become a universal law." This is the golden rule of Kantian morality, which serves to guide moral action in any place, time and circumstance. It is a universal rule. Thus, it also answers the question: "why act in this way?" Man must act in this way because this is the rational way to act. Following the law dictated by reason is, ultimately, being free. Kant thus establishes moral deontology, which is to act only out of duty. And this moral doctrine is formalist because it does not admit any type of motivation other than duty. ------------------------------------------------------------ ABOUT PROF. ANDERSON PINHO ------------------------------------------------------------ Prof. Anderson Pinho has a degree in Philosophy with a specialization in Sociology, is a lawyer specialized in labor law and is passionate about the Human Sciences. He has the largest online preparatory course in Philosophy and Sociology for ENEM and entrance exams with dynamic video classes, support material, many questions and simulations.