The Categorical Imperative

Kant based his ethical theory on the belief that reason should be used to determine how people ought to act. He did not attempt to prescribe specific actions but instructed that reason should be used to determine how to behave.

The Categorical Imperative is supposed to provide a way for us to evaluate moral actions and to make ml judgments. It is not a command to perform specific actions -- it does not say, respect your elders". As commands or moral laws all persons must follow, regardless of their desires or extenuating circumstances. As morals, these imperatives are binding on everyone and imperatives are simply an ought. If the action is represented as goods in itself and therefore as necessary for a will which it accords with reason then that's a categorical imperative.

Abstract

One of the fundamental preoccupations of philosophers of diverse proclivities has been the quest to define the standard upon which morality could be judged. Whereas some philosophers, like the utilitarians, take a consequentialist stance in defining moral standard, where they believe that morality is based on the greatest number of consequence an action gives to the greatest number of persons, others tend to assess the standard of morality from a deontological perspective. Being one of the major proponents of deontologism, Kant argues that what defines morality is reason. This paper, thus, assesses the role reason plays in Kant‘s moral philosophy. Kant argues that reason directs human wills to operate within the standard of moral law. By conforming to moral law, one is invariably acting in accordance to the categorical imperative, in which an agent performs an action because it ought to be performed, rather than hypothetical imperative, which is prompted by sensual and selfish desires. Despite the fact that critics seem to view Kant‘s foundation of morality on reason as basically rigid, it is pertinent to assert that the directive role reason plays in the attainment of morality accentuates individuals to perform actions, which could be used as a universal maxim, and also enthrones respect for human dignity, which by and large, encourages egalitarianism and mutual co-existence in inter-human social relationship among members of a community. This paper employs the hermeneutic method in articulating its subject matter.

Key Words: Kant; Reason; Moral; Philosophy; Imperative; Duty; Goodwill