Immanuel Kant, one of the world's greatest philosophers, was born around1724 in West Germany. At the age of 16, Kant was administered at the University of Konigsberg to study mathematics but later developed an interest in philosophy (Byrd & Hruschka, 2012). By 1755, after a long struggle with education, he received a doctorate in philosophy from the same university. Immanuel would then devote his time to writing philosophical articles with his greatest masterpiece being Critique of Pure Reason, which was published in 1781. Most of his philosophical arguments were against rationalism and empiricism ideas. The rationalists argue that knowledge is a result of reason, but empiricism claims that knowledge is gained through experience (Byrd & Hruschka, 2012). Kant on the other side asserts that experience was a purely skewed if not first introduced by knowledge.
In his work on moral theory, Immanuel claimed that moral obligation is based on the level of rationality which he christened Categorical Imperative (CI). He described immorality as the violation of the Categorical Imperative concept. Kant alleges that practically, the condition that rational agents must adhere to is the instrumental principle (Frank, 2012). His doctrines on morality included the assertion that a rational will should be considered as autonomous and therefore, the basic standard of morality is the law of autonomous will. Kant’s aim on moral philosophy was to seek the primary belief of metaphysics of morals. He even evaluated the commonsense ideas on moral principles to find where all ordinary moral judgment is usually based. The common judgment was described as those reasons of a rational and sane person and those acts that they would accept as morally right (Frank, 2012). Many other great philosophers described Kant’s efforts on finding moral standards as a way of trying to justify the appeal to a fact, autonomy, which even those who are morally skeptical would be familiar with.
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Moreover, Immanuel Kant categorically stated that a good will is the only moral and good thing that no one needs any qualification to possess. The good will is what makes a good person but not the common claim that some people have the good heart or are well nurtured (Byrd & Hruschka, 2012). In the recent world, most people are interest driven and act in the way that would grant them what they desire as opposed to moral behavior (Frank, 2012). Kant’s philosophy disagrees with this principle. He maintained that there were no circumstances that can make human being forfeit their moral principles if at all they have good will.
Consequently, these principles can be applied in the world today in making of moral laws and curbing lawlessness. His philosophical principles and argument, especially on moral theory, are paramount for the society in promoting duty respect and morality (Byrd & Hruschka, 2012). If people act because it is their civic duty to do so, they will find themselves automatically respecting certain laws hence the principle of morality. Immanuel work can be used to impart, to the society, a sense of duty to not only obey the laws because of the consequences of not doing so but because good will guides people in whatever they are doing (Frank, 2012).
In conclusion, Kant’s moral principles are important in the current society, and if applied, there would be fewer conflicts because everyone will be motivated by duty that they have in the society and will be guided by their good will.
References
Byrd, B. S., & Hruschka, J. (2012). Kant's Doctrine of right . Cambridge University Press.
Frank, M. (2012). Philosophical Foundations of Early German Romanticism, The . SUNY Press.
