I am a student of philosophy and really appreciate
Kant. I love the phrasing of his Categorical Imperative and only wished that it
really worked. I never really understood Kant’s connection between reason, will
and duty. However, I just read a paper by Greg Ganssle, renowned university professor. I now understand.
Kant,
Reason, Will and Duty
A good
friend has taken refuge in your basement
An evil
murderer is at your front door and
Wants to
kill her
He tells
you
I must know
the truth, please tell me the truth
Is she
here?
Do you tell
the truth and say, yes she is here?
Or do you
lie and say, no, she is not here
If you tell
the truth, he kills her
If you lie,
you save a life
Perhaps the
greatest moral good
Kant claims
that one is always morally obliged to tell the truth
Others
claim that, sometimes, one has a moral responsibility to lie
To protect
a friend who is innocent from the criminal who is evil
To be
truthful (honest) in all declarations is a sacred and unconditionally
commanding law of reason that admits of no expediency (including philanthropic
or lifesaving expediency) whatsoever...
Kant
believes that reason was designed to influence the will
To produce
a will that is not merely good, as a means to further some end
But is good
in itself
Rational
beings are able to will the good and the bad
Infinite
desires, the least of all, happiness
But how
does reason produce a good will?
Kant gives
no detailed response for this important reality
He moves on
to duty
Duty, like
a good will, holds
First place
in estimating the total moral worth of our actions
Duties to others recognized by Kant correspond to the subordinate principles
Not to lie, to be beneficent, not to steal, not to deprive others of liberty, etc.
Duties to others recognized by Kant correspond to the subordinate principles
Not to lie, to be beneficent, not to steal, not to deprive others of liberty, etc.
Rational
beings use reason to derive duty
When
actions are done out of duty as determined by reason
They
promote the development of a good will, per se
When we act
out of duty, we so not to achieve some purpose of the will
For example, happiness
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