Kantian Moral Theory: A Critique
In his “Groundwork for the Metaphysics of Morals”, Immanuel Kant assumes that the good will is good in itself and should not be evaluated from the perspective of results it brings. This means that people should do something because it is their duty and not because they hope to gain something from it. Kant believes that moral duty is something that comes from reason and not from emotions. Reason is what makes us human beings and it should guide our actions. The categorical imperative is the basis of Kant’s moral theory. It is an absolute command that applies to everyone in every situation. People should act in such a way that they can universalize their action, i.e. they should be able to will that everyone acts in the same way in similar circumstances.