Duty as the basis of morality from "summary" of Fundamental Principles of the Metaphysic of Morals by Immanuel Kant
The concept of duty as the foundation of morality is at the core of Kant's ethical philosophy. According to Kant, moral actions are those that are performed out of a sense of duty rather than personal inclination or desire. One's moral worth is not determined by the consequences of one's actions, but by the intention behind those actions. Kant argues that duty is the only intrinsic good, meaning that it is good in itself and not for the sake of achieving some other end. This is in contrast to other moral theories that prioritize happiness, pleasure, or the fulfillment of desires. For Kant, the moral worth of an action lies in the motivation behind it, specifically the sense of duty that compels one to act in a certain way. Duty, for Kant, is derived from reason and is based on the idea of the moral law, which he formulates as the categorical imperative. The categorical imperative is a universal principle that commands us to act in a way that w...
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