¶ … Immanuel Kant that the particular divisions of ancient philosophy be explained so that he may offer his reconciliation between the major accomplishments of the past by avoiding their drawbacks. Essentially, many of Kant's philosophical efforts can be seen as innovative reactions to the brilliantly constructed skepticism of David Hume. Hume made it obvious that both the rationalists and empiricists must be wrong -- or at least only partially right -- so Kant must emphasize their differences in order to offer his alternative marriage between material and form.
Kant is a rationalist of a specific kind. He believes that the a priori deductive reasoning of previous rationalists must be groundless -- it is not rooted in the human experience. Nevertheless, he still believes that the human mind is centrally what stands at the crossroads of decision; rational thought, he contends, can lead us to determining the morality of our actions. It is out of this that the "laws of freedom" must grow in order to have any coherence.
To Kant, rational beings should do moral philosophy. We all engage in moral decision-making every day, but if we merely make our choices based upon our immediate experiences and situations we ignore our own humanity and that of others as well. Empiricism can only tell us what is obvious -- what we already know -- but introspection may tell us what is innately demanded of us morally.
Principally, the purpose of Kant's Groundwork for the Metaphysics of Morals is just as the title would suggest: he wishes to establish a foundation from which philosophical deduction can spring forth. Our senses and our minds work together in a manner that gives abstract philosophy some link to a more objective reality.
You’re 79% through this paper. Sign up to read the full paper.
Sign Up Now — Instant Access Already a member? Log inAlways verify citation format against your institution’s current style guide requirements.