In my previous post “An Act Of Morality” I talked about morality and its application in the real world. We then stumbled upon Kant’s theory of morality which claims the basis of morality in duty, free will, and rationality of human beings. However, it opens the door to subjectivity in morality and we do not want that. Luckily Kant too, shared our concern. In this post, we will find out how he dealt with the problem of subjectivity in morality. How did Kant manage to prevent morality from being affected by individual preferences and desires.
Kant addressed this concern through his concept of the categorical imperative. The categorical imperative is a moral principle that applies universally and unconditionally to all rational beings. The categorical imperative is derived from reason itself, rather than being dependent on subjective desires or preferences.
Kant proposed several formulations of the categorical imperative, with the most well-known being the “Formula of Universal Law.” This formulation states that one should act according to the maxim (or principle) that can be universally applied without contradiction. In simpler terms, it means that an action is morally acceptable if it can be consistently willed as a universal law.
For example, if lying were considered morally acceptable, it would lead to a contradiction when universalized. If everyone lied whenever it served their interests, trust, and communication would break down, rendering lying ineffective. Therefore, lying cannot be consistently willed as a universal law and is deemed morally wrong according to Kant’s theory.
Kant believed that rational beings, driven by their capacity for reason, can recognize and adhere to moral duties that are objectively valid. The emphasis on universalizability and reason helps address the subjective nature of morality.
It’s important to note that Kant’s approach to morality has been subject to criticism and debate. However, Kant’s attempt to address subjectivity by grounding morality in reason and universal principles remains an influential aspect of his moral philosophy.