Fundamental Principles of the Metaphysics of Morals

De: Immanuel Kant, Thomas Kingsmill Abbott - translator

Narrado por: John Lee

Immanuel Kant's Fundamental Principles of the Metaphysics of Morals, first published in 1785, lays out Kant's essential philosophy and defines the concepts and arguments that would shape his later work.

Central to Kant's doctrine is the categorical imperative, which he defines as a mandate that human actions should always conform to a universal, unchanging standard of rational morality. Directly opposed to utilitarian philosophy, Kant's theories have been broadly influential since their publication and stand as a seminal contribution to ethical thought.

Although Kant expanded upon the ideas defined here in his later work, including the Critique of Pure Reason and the Metaphysics of Morals, it is in his Fundamental Principles of the Metaphysics of Morals that they are communicated in their most clear, concise form. This edition is the translation by Thomas Kingsmill Abbott.

Public Domain (P)2011 Tantor

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Fantastic story

Categorical Imperatives for Everyone

“Act only according to that maxim by which you can at the same time will that it should become a universal law.”
― Immanuel Kant, Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Morals

Words & Phrases:

Freedom, Autonomy of the Will, Categorical Imperative, Intuitions of Sense, Morally Aught, Universal Laws, Pure Practical Reason, Pragmatic, Practical, Rational Beings, Universality, Moral Law, External Conditions, Happiness, Empirical Interests, Obligations, Reciprocal Conceptions, Heteronomy, Causality, Things In Themselves.

Meaning:

In some ways the Categorical Imperative appears like a philosophically formal and universally binding adaptation of the Golden Rule, **kind of**. When one sees how many different versions of the Golden Rule have appeared independently in space and time, perhaps Kant was onto something. Anyway, I enjoyed reading this if only because a lot of what I've studied in political philosophy and moral policy was either born out of Kant's thoughts or as a reaction to it. Rawls' Veil of ignorance seems to be a recent, direct descendent, as Kant's social contract was a child of Rousseau, Hobbes, and Locke.

A Pivotal Thinker in the History of Mind

Ever since my first read of Kant's "Critique of Pure Reason" I smile quietly inside myself with appreciation of the man's incredible genius. I feel the same way about this book, "Fundamental Principles of the Metaphysics of Morals." Anybody with a serious interest in philosophy should read and/or listen to works by Immanuel Kant. But don't expect kid gloves. His thinking is difficult until you start catching his drift -- then it is wonderfully fulfilling. I think most people's problem with Kant is that they don't have enough confidence in their own abilities to meet the challenge.

John Lee does an impeccable job in helping us to meet the challenge via his intelligent and wise narration of this book. (Please, John, add "Critique of Pure Reason" to your list of books to narrate).

The Heart Of Kant's Thinking...

is contained in this short treatise on absolute rational moral value. Kant is one of the all-time great thinkers in the realm of philosophy and morality, and he should be read by everyone. A warning should go with this recommendation, I suppose. One cannot go in with an E.L. James/Stephanie Myers vocabulary and depth of understanding and expect to come away with much. It takes a familiarity with higher language and higher thought. There is no short-cut to excellence or to understanding it.

Kant can’t win

Kant makes a rum go at attempting to prove objective morality harmonious with free will without resorting to classical arguments for sense or perfection, but ultimately admits he must resort to the presuppositions those arguments were constructed to avoid in the first place. His project thus ultimately takes a rocky, bumpy detour to arrive at the same spot others found with less trouble: universal good is real, humans are imperfect and therefore not capable of completely grasping it in this world.