The Main Contributions Of Immanuel Kant - 1385 Words

It is important to begin with the significant contributions of Immanuel Kant in the literary sense; it is widely agreed upon that he authored â€Å"one of the most important works of moral philosophy ever written†. As found in Justice with Michael Sandel, â€Å"Kant argues that morality is based neither on the principle of utility, nor on a law of nature, but on human reason. According to Kant, reason tells us what we ought to do, and when we obey our own reason, only then are we truly free†.1 To imply utilitarian, an opposing theory, would be to derive that the outcome of moral actions are based solely on the merits of a positive result, i.e. for the means of happiness. The methodology in arriving at this positive juncture would be seen as irrelevant.2 On the contrary, Kant reveled in the ethics of deontology whereby pronouncing the relationship of â€Å"deon†, the Greek equivalent for â€Å"duty† and that of â€Å"logos† the derivative being of â€Å"science or logic†.3 It was in his prolific book, Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Morals, that he provided an introspective perception of human morality that empowered the philosophical world. Kant introduced many theories and concepts; three of which will be explored in greater detail. To better explain these concepts would be to establish the framework in which they function. The three concepts considered in this article are that of good will, moral worth and that of the imperative. What is meant by the concept of â€Å"good will†? As Kant writes,Show MoreRelatedImmanuel Kant s Philosophy And Philosophy1389 Words   |  6 PagesResearch Paper- Immanuel Kant Immanuel Kant was a famous philosopher whose philosophical influences impacted almost every new philosophical idea, theory, concept etc. In a sense, he was considered the central face of contemporary philosophy. Kant spent his whole life in Russia. Starting out as a tutor, to then a professor, he lectured about everything; from geography to obviously philosophy. In his early life, he was raised to emphasize faith and religious feelings over reason and theological principlesRead MorePhilosophy Is The Idea Of Knowing One s Mind By Asking The Simplest Question1494 Words   |  6 Pagesbroadened, with modern philosophy evolving into extensive areas of learning and being divided into nine main branches; metaphysics, epistemology, science, religion, logic, ethics, politics, ethics, and aesthetics. Modern philosophy is believed to have originated in Western Europe during the 17th century, forming three main divisions; The Rationalists, The Empiricists and philosophers like Immanuel Kant w ho had combined insights. Plato is an influential ancient Greek philosopher who studied the teachingsRead MoreEvolution and the Modern Social Contract Theory : Essay Outline1050 Words   |  5 Pagespolitical thinkers of the time. Secondly, we will identify the key thinkers in the development of the theory by introducing each of them and discussing their respective political theory of the subject. The main thinkers that we will introduce in his essay are Thomas Hobbes, John Locke, Immanuel Kant and Jean-Jacques Rousseau. Thesis Statement: Essentially, the social contract theory states that the individuals have abandoned their freedom to submit to the authority of the state and therefore the majorityRead MoreThe Principles Of Aristotle, Bertrand Russell, And Immanuel Kant1555 Words   |  7 Pagesthrough the study of arguments in natural language. It deals only with propositions that are capable of being true and false. Modern logic descends mainly from the ancient Greek tradition. All three philosophers; Aristotle, Bertrand Russell, and Immanuel Kant theorized the question of what is logic. The greatest and most influential of Platos students was Aristotle, but the works of Aristotle do reflect his teachings from Plato but unlike Plato, Aristotle was concrete and practical. Aristotle definedRead MoreThe Democratic Peace Theory954 Words   |  4 PagesThe democratic peace theory was not always seen as the substantial argument and significant contribution to the field of International Relations that it is today. Prior to the 1970’s, it was the realist and non-realist thought that took preeminence in political theoretical thinking. Though the democratic peace theory was first criticized for being inaccurate in its claim that democracy promotes peace and as such democracies do not conflict with each other, trends, statistical data, reports have suggestedRead MoreThe Main Influences On Gestalt Psychology757 Words   |  4 Pagesd reflection on the main influences on Gestalt psychology and how they contributed to its development.   Since being discovered, gestalt psychology created vital contributions to the psychology of thinking and problem solving influenced by thinkers, including, Immanuel Kant, Ernst Mach and Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. This paper will reflect on the main influences on Gestalt psychology, their contributions, and the principles of perceptual organization. According to the Merriam-Webster, the definitionRead MoreKant: Moral Theories1002 Words   |  5 Pagesto Timmons, the field of philosophy is not complete without the mention of Kant whose contributions were major (205). This, he adds, was influenced by his originality, subtle approach and the difficulty of his works. Timmons cites that moral requirements are a requirement of reason, which is the ideology of Kant’s Moral theory; hence, immoral act is an act against reason. Consequently, speaking on the terminologies of Kant we visualize moral requirements as Categorical Imperatives (CI) grounded onRead MoreKantian Enlightenment through Kafkas Colony1461 Words   |  6 PagesOf the many intellectuals who have offered answers to questions of morality, freewill, and enlightenment, Immanuel Kant is one of the most challenging and intriguing. His writings have been used as the basis for analysis of contemporary writings of every age since first they were conceived and published . Benjamins views on law, the ethics of J. K. Rowling, race studies, and basic modern morality have all been discussed through the use of Kants philosophical framework. (Gray, Mack, Newton, Wolosky)Read More Immanuel Kants Ethics Of Pure Duty and John Stuart Mills Utilitarian Ethics Of Justice2753 Words   |  12 PagesImmanuel Kants The Grounding For The Metaphysics of Morals and John Stuart Mills Utilitarianism Immanuel Kant and John Stuart Mill are philosophers who addressed the issues of morality in terms of how moral traditions are formed. Immanuel Kant has presented one viewpoint in The Grounding For The Metaphysics of Morals that is founded on his belief that the worth of man is inherent in his ability to reason. John Stuart Mill holds another opinion as presented in the book, Utilitarianism thatRead MoreRomanticism And The Formation Of The Romantic Era1920 Words   |  8 Pages1700s. Some of the most prominent ideals that came into existence during the Enlightenment were the emphasis on reason, logic, and rational. Arguably, the most influential voices and authors throughout the era were John Locke, Thomas Hobbes, and Immanuel Kant. On the other hand, Romanticism began from the mid-late 1700s and ended around a century later. Romantic thinkers such as William Blake and William Wordsworth centralized on individualism, self-expression, and emotion. Clearly, then, Romanticism