Presentation: Kant's Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Morals

Presentation: Kant's Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Morals

In Kant's Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Morals, he dispels the notion that reason is the vehicle for happiness. Furthermore, he even goes on to state that reason is perhaps detrimental to the attainment of happiness. He claims that the purpose of reason goes beyond that of just individual survival and private happiness. Instead, it's purpose is to bring about a will (i.e. good will) that is good in itself. I think that Kant's overall message that he is trying to convey is that a good will is the only thing to which we attribute unconditional moral value. However, in order to understand the concept of good will, we must first understand what principle the person of good will acts on. Then we can figure out what the moral law tells us to do. Kant therefore provides us with the term "duty" which he describes as being specific obligations of a good will. Kant provides different examples as to how an action might be in conformity with duty. He states that duty is the good will operating "under certain subjective limitations and hindrances, which, however, far from concealing it and making it unrecognizable, rather bring it out by contrast and make it shine forth all the more brightly." (Kant 397). In stating subjective limitations and hindrances, Kant is acknowledging those individuals who, in the absence of a sense of duty, would not be motivated at all to perform the morally right action. Kant claims that there are three different kinds of motivation for an action. The first being duty, or performing the action because you think it's the right thing to do. The second is immediate inclination, which is performing the action because you simply enjoy doing so. The third are those actions done because of self interest. So in other words, you're performing the action because of some independent end which it serves. Kant believes that actions performed from duty hold the highest value, as opposed to actions performed from any other motivation. He believes that for an action to be morally worthy, it has to be performed because the individual think that it is required of them, their duty. He claims that if it's just the case that it pleases you to do the morally right thing, then that is not enough for moral worth. I think his basis for that is because the individual's action would