Module 14 The Philosophy of Immanuel Kant

At the end of this module, you are expected to:

1. To understand Immanuel Kant’s philosophy of Good Will
2. To learn about Kant’s Categorical Imperative
3. To know the Kingdom of Ends

Man and Duty

Immanuel Kant was a German philosopher that believed in the dignity of human reason,
duty, goodwill and the ends of human actions. But first, let us begin with duty – it simply means
that it is anything that has to be done or omitted. Others believe that it is a moral obligation one
has to do but within the framework of human freedom. There are four kinds of duty namely:
1. Natural Duty – These are moral duty of citizens to obey the laws of their state and God
in relation to the Eternal Law. Examples are the duty to worship God or the duty to
value human life
2. Positive Duty – An obligation to do an act, on the part of the person on whom it is
imposed. Examples are the duty to hear mass, pay taxes and tuition fees
3. Affirmative Duty – these are things that adhere to moral obligation. Examples are the
inherent law of doing good and avoiding evil, helping the poor, aid the needy and the
likes.
4. Negative Duty – Moral obligation to avoid or refrain from doing something. Examples
are prohibitions of “no smoking”, “no littering” or “loitering” as well as legal decisions.
Kant’s philosophy revolved around the dignity of Human Reason. Man has gift or reason
and free will and the master of his destiny. Man is the only creature who can create his own
destiny and is the end not the means of God’s creation. Man having a free will should never exploit
his fellow men that slavery, bribery and any form of human exploitation degrades men into beasts
which is morally wrong. God created all things as means and Man is an end being an instrument of
God’s Divine Plan. Man’s primary duty is to make sure that God’s Divine Plan of being like Him is
implemented but in accordance with his free will.
Kant’s Philosophy of Good Will
Contrary to the Aristotelian and Thomistic philosophies that mentioned Moral Law came
from God and was made undisputed by Man through his conscience for conscience came from
Him. Kant believed that reason made all laws and makes everyone obey all laws at the same time
this is called the “Autonomy of reason”. Reason is endowed in men that laws are created because
there is reason for it and that is to reach a reasonable end. Man is the only being capable of
grasping the truth, according to Kant it can only be seen through sense experience (sensation felt
by the senses). We can only grasp the tangible and phenomenon never the noumenon
(unexplainable events). Man cannot know the very essence of the thing itself for man cannot know
everything. Man will never know what is right from wrong since there is no certainty in this world.

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 So what is Good Will then, Kant means to act out of a sense of moral obligation or "duty".
The German Scholar believed that the Eternal Law “do good and avoid evil” is inherent in man,
meaning that there is goodness in every man that no matter how evil they are, the tendency to do
good or wanting something good is innate in man. The will is his ability to pursue his good with
help of human reason but then again the goodness or badness of an act lies in the purpose why
had he done it. Not all good acts are good in itself such as a politician doling out goods to typhoon
victims or an adversary delivering a eulogy to a fallen opponent. Good Will is the reason why he
made such action and the ends he wanted to achieve upon doing it.
Kant’s Categorical Imperative
This philosophy of Immanuel Kant is a derivation of The Golden Rule mentioned in the
Chinese Classics “Do not do unto to others what you do not want others to do unto you”. In his
case he “Act only in accordance with that maxim through which you can at the same time will that
it become a universal law”. To sum it up that is a command or an imperative. There are two kinds
of imperatives hypothetical and categorical, let us differentiate. The former are commands that are
dependent on the goals to be fulfilled. These are commands that apply only in particular
circumstances, for particular people who happen to have these desires, these goals. Examples are
brushing your teeth to avoid bad breath, go to school to fulfill your scholastic needs and the likes.
Categorical Imperatives are commands that are universal and impartial. It encompasses every
reasonable being regardless of their origin, culture or social standing and at the same time they
have to perform these in respect for the dignity of everyone which devoid of their bias or
inclinations. Universal Love is an example of Categorical Imperative, World Peace is another.
The Kingdom of Ends
Immanuel Kant believed in the dignity of human reason but also of the free will. As
mentioned in past modules man is endowed with free will and human reason to decide but if they
are coerced then their freedom of choice is hampered making them less of a human being. Dignity
of man should not be compromised. The Kingdom of ends is the idea of a state equal to Sir
Thomas More’s Utopia. Kant defines it as, "a systematic union of different rational beings through
common laws". But is it attainable? He believed it is because as long as men think the same way
which he deemed as “categorical imperative” it is attainable. The Kingdom of ends has three
ingredients: the members, the sovereign, and the private ends which the members have. The
members refer to reasonable free-willed persons, who obey universal laws. They are ends in
themselves and are willing to spread their ideals to others absent of personal biases. The
sovereign is perceived to be God for he is not subject to any law but has no “power” to break the
law itself he is a role-model that the members will subscribe to. The private ends of the members
are the goals they wanted to achieve that will benefit everyone that might refer to categorical
imperatives. In this kingdom, human degradation, slavery and exploitation for the private ends
they wanted to attain are for everyone’s benefit.
References and Supplementary Materials
Books and Journals
1. Babor, Eddie R.; Ethics – The Philosophical Discipline of Action; Manile, Rex Book
Store
2. Montemayor, Felix; Ethics the Philippines; Navotas Metro Manila; National Book
Store
Online Supplementary Reading Materials
1. Ethical Traditions;
www.qcc.cuny.edu/SocialSciences/ppecorino/MEDICAL_ETHICS_TEXT/Chapter_2_Et
hical_Traditions/Categorical_Imperatives.htm; 2002
2. The Kingdom of Ends; https://limnk.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-94-010-
3099-1_26;

Written by:
Christopher S. Espiritu
AMACC Caloocan Campus

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