The highest good combines virtue and happiness from "summary" of Immanuel Kant: Prolegomena to Any Future Metaphysics by Immanuel Kant
The highest good is that which is worthy of being desired not merely as a means to some further end, but for its own sake. It is the combination of virtue and happiness, for these are the two elements that together constitute what is truly good. Virtue is the moral worth of a person, which consists in the consistent adherence to moral principles. Happiness, on the other hand, is the satisfaction of all our inclinations. Virtue alone is not enough to constitute the highest good, for it is possible to be virtuous and yet unhappy. Likewise, happiness alone cannot be the highest good, for it is possible to be happy and yet morally corrupt. It is only when virtue and happiness are combined that we have something that is truly good in itself. This combination is not arbitrary or contingent, but necessary and universal. It is based on the idea that morality and ...Similar Posts
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