Philosophy: Understanding Kant

Paper Summary:

This paper explains that in Kant's "Critique of Practical Reason", he provides a choice of either following the moral law or taking other actions that will result in an immoral action. The paper further explains that the resulting happiness Kant is discussing is then speculative on the grounds that it is not essential for the greater good, since the basis of following the moral law can be extremely painful in relation to doing what is universally right.

From the Paper:

"The basis of objectivity in the practical reason of Kant can be defined through the notion of universality in the human thought process. In this manner, Kant is aware of the subjectivity of the mind through an interior process, which then marks an objective or universal reality that stands outside or presupposes thought matter that exists outside of the human mind (KPV 5:21). Through this aspect, reasoning must presuppose that freedom is something that can indelibly be an objective premise, since the basis of freedom comes from outside of mankind's mental will. In this manner, the reasoning mind can intuitively perceive that freedom must exist on a universal plane, since it has a rational process involved in defining natural laws. Through a series of causal relationships with what he calls `the moral law", Kant seeks to define freedom that can be assumed through the..."

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