Kant's Morality

6 Pages 1542 Words

Kant: Duty and Moral Worth
Kant first sets out many of his ethical theories in the Foundations of the Metaphysics of Morals. These ideas are both put forth and proven in this work, to be expounded on in his later writings. One of the main points Kant tries to prove involves how w e determine what has moral worth and what does not. Kant’s major conclusion on this subject is that actions done from a sense of duty are the only actions which can have moral worth. Kant’s argument for this at first seems very sound, but some weak poin ts do arise. It would seem, that in certain situations an argument can be made showing that some acts can have moral worth and not be done strictly from a sense of duty. An act may not be done from duty and yet seen as having some sort of moral worth, s uch as acting out of friendship, or a mother’s love toward her child. Duty does not seem to be the only motivation which can determine moral worth, or if so Kant does not give a perfectly clear argument for this. In order to prove this, all points of Ka nt’s argument must first be inspected, including his definitions of duty and moral worth.

Kant begins by claiming that a good will is good unconditionally, and this good will is one that acts for reasons. A will that always acts in this manner is a perfect or holy will. Kant’s major claim concerning moral worth is that only acts done from d uty are able to have any moral worth. What Kant calls “duty” is something which one is obligated to do, this type of duty has a sense of action to it. Actions, Kant claims, can be good and praise worthy, but at the same time not have moral worth. These actions may be done in accordance with duty but not from it. He gives the example of a person, who finds “an inner satisfaction in spreading joy,” that helps a person in need (398). This act is honorable, according to Kant, but does not have moral wort h. In order for this act to have moral worth, a man mus...