Term Paper on "Kant and Nietzsche"

Term Paper 6 pages (2165 words) Sources: 1+

[EXCERPT] . . . .

Kant and Nietzsche

Throughout history, many philosophers have evaluated the concept of morality, and have discussed many ideas for the concept's origin. While some believe morality to be born of reason and rationality, others are more critical of the concept. This paper will present two views of morality, those of Kant and Nietzsche, and will discuss how each philosopher justifies his viewpoint. Additionally, this paper will show that while Kant's concept of morality is more positive than Nietzsche's, it is Nietzsche's view that is more consistant with reality.

According to Kant, the same principles that apply to reason also give way to an equal application in dealing with the problems of moral philosophy. Generally speaking, Kant believed that moral judgments deal with how the world should be, not how the world truly is. Because of this, morality can not be derived from experiences, because experience can only tell humans how things really are. Kant assumed, then, that morality must be a priori, since they are independent of the true state of the world around us (Kant, "Preface").

Additionally, Kant follows this argument to define what he considers to be a "moral act." According to him, for an action to be morally worthy, it must be performed out of Duty, or because the act is the right thing to do in light of moral law. The other motivators for moral acts, such as the enjoyment of the act or an independent end of the act, are not qualifiers for moral worth. Thus, only actions performed out of Duty, and in respect of moral law, are morally worthy (Kant, "Section 1...").

Kant then lays out his theory of reasoning for moral law that displays the principles of practical reason. First, he describes his view that the laws of reason are a series of imperatives, telling us what we should do. There are two imperatives in his theory, those of hypothetical imperatives, which tell persons what to do to in attempts to reach an end, and categorical imperatives, which tells you what to do unconditionally, regardless of the end goal. Because Kant sees morality as a priori, and thus, independent of all will or preferences, the argument follows that morality must then be a categorical imperative. As such, morality, like all other categorical imperatives, tells us to act on principles which are formulated in the Formula of Universal Law of the Categorical Imperative, which states that persons should act according to the idea that your own actions will become part of Universal Law. He continues to imply with the Law of Nature that people should act with the idea that, because of their will, the action will become a Universal Law of Nature (Kant, "Section 2...").

Kant then discusses a test which allows people to identify the Duties we have, and which actions are morally permissible. The test follows a path of rational similar to that of a reason argument. First, one must form a maxim, which combines the action with the reason for the action, such as stating "I will lie to my father in order to obtain money." Next, one forms the corresponding "Law of Nature," which applies the action to universal law, such as stating "Everyone who needs money lies to obtain it." Third, one imagines a world where everyone obeyed this "law," and imagines themselves lying to their father to obtain money. Last, one asks whether one could will the action at the same time as they were willing the state of affairs, which usually produces a conflict. For example, in the above case, if everyone lied to get money, then the individual looking to do so would experience only denial of his request for money, since the lender would know he was lying. Kant proposes that, if the original maxim passes the Categorical Imperative test, the act is moral. If not, it is a forbidden act (Kant, "Section II...").

Kant continues with the concept that all of the different formulations of the Categorical Imperative are equal to one another, in that each would forbid and permit the same actions. He proposes, then, that the Formula of Humanity, where all people should treat others as an end and not the means to an end. By doing so, Kant believes that people respect one another as rational beings. Further, Kant's Kingdom of the Ends Formulation states that as rational beings, we must always regard ourselves as legislators in a Kingdom of Ends, due to free will. By this, Kant supposes that if we can think of ourselves as regulating Universal Law through our maxims, we should think of moral motivation as autonomous (Kant, "Section II...").

Kant claims to show humans as autonomous by his argument that will belongs to rational beings, and that freedom is the property of the causality of the will. Thus, freedom is independent of any factors other than the will its self. Since humans are rational beings, they are free to chooser between different options. Kant further proposes that, since humans inevitably think of themselves as member of the world of understanding, rather than that of sense, they are thus free, and as such, as autonomous (Kant, Section III...").

In summary, Kant believes morality to be a priori, and that the origin of morality can be found in reason, which gives us the Universal Laws. With this idea in mind, human beings, as rational, morally governed individuals, are thus autonomous, and are entitled to respect and dignity. The end result is similar to the ideas of Plato, in that full knowledge of moral behavior is based in rational knowledge of the world, and our actions should be in tune with the good of everyone, or the Universal good, in Plato's theory. Both see morality as independent of external forces, and both believe acts of morality must be motivated by "doing what we should do."

While Kant makes some generally good points, his entire argument is based on assumptions that may or may not be true, making it somewhat invaluable. First, Kant starts is argument with the assumption that everyone is in agreement that "good will" is the only thing to which we attribute moral value. His entire argument is based on this fundamental concept, which is not necessarily true. Additionally, Kant's belief that the only true moral act is one done out of Duty to the Good is again more of an opinion than a point based in humanity. One could easily say that the man who acts in a moral way because he enjoys doing so is no less moral than the man who does so out of Duty.

Further, Kant's entire Categorical Imperative tests only help prove morality if one subscribes to the idea that an ending contradiction results in an immoral act. One could argue that even immoral acts do no necessary end in contradiction, and thus, could be seen as moral. Kant also assumes that humans believe themselves to be members of the world of understanding, rather than the world of sense, subject to the laws of nature. This is arguable, at best.

Kant also neglects to explain how freedom is possible in light of our dual status of heteronymous individuals in relation to the laws of nature, and autonomous beings in relation to the world of understanding. Since Kant thinks we can have no knowledge of the realm in which we are free, he believes there are no contradictions in this concept. In short, if we can accepts Kant's assumptions of freedom, autonomy, Categorical Imperative tests and our lack of knowledge of the world of understanding, then we can accept his view of morality.

While Kant's theory was based on the idea that morality is a priori, Nietzsche's theory is based on the beginnings of nihilism. According to him, there are no absolute values and no rules for humans in general. If there is any truth in life, Nietzsche supposes, that truth can only be born to those who disregard everything that is traditionally "good," and instead breaks free of the standard Christian moral view. If humans can dare to go against the standard ascetic ideal, and instead live in a world without God, and without moral law, then humans can live a life of personal gain and honesty.

Nietzsche begins his argument by examining the standard theories of morality. Instead of attempting to find a rational foundation for moral belief, he believes we should be suspicious of any moral justification, and instead look to the origins of those morals (Nietzsche, "Prologue").

Nietzsche then proceeded to give his own account of the development of current moral concepts. According to his account, "good" originally applied only to those people with social and political power, and applied only to allow those people to live the life they wanted to by force. Nietzsche believed that the moral concepts of his time had instead become Christian in content and origin, due an uprising of a caste of peoples provoked from resentment of their "natural" superiors.… READ MORE

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