The notion of practical reason in the ethics of Immanuel Kant

The practical application of reason is briefly presented in "Critique of Pure Reason" and more in detail in "Critique of Practical Reason". God, freedom and immortality are the three ideas of reason, according to Kant. Although pure reason leads us to the formation of these ideas, he can not prove their reality in themselves. the meaning of these ideas is practical; related to morality. The purely intellectual application of reason leads to delusions; only its proper application is morally intended. The argument is that moral law requires justice, happiness equally and measurably with virtue. All moral concepts fit a priori into reason. It is not enough for the action to be such that the duty to prescribe it. This thesis is at the root of Kant's well-known imperative. Important for any good action are the motives that guide man. Certain actions are simply objectively necessary without regard to the purpose. The essence of morality must be inferred from the concept of law. Everything in nature acts in accordance with laws, but only man is able to act according to the idea of ​​law, ie. by your will. Virtue does not depend on the expected results of an action, it is good on its own.

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Kant searches for a rational principle, formulating the absolute requirement of moral - good. The moral law contains the idea of ​​a maximum. However, this requirement is also the concept of idea. Moral perfection can only be a purely intellectual idea. And Kant calls this notionally perfection. This perfection can have a theoretical and practical meaning. In a theoretical sense, it is a higher being, God. In practical terms, it is moral perfection. The notion of moral perfection belongs to the intelligent world, not to the sensual. The degree of perfection of a moral action can only be assessed intellectually. For Kant, moral perfection has no intuitive dimensions. This is a critique that Kant directs against Plato. Kant rejects the thesis of ingenuity, because he thinks this is a decision dictated by spiritual laziness. For Kant the idea of ​​good is based on a law. This law is a priori. The meaning of the idea lies in its deductive power, and the purpose of deduction is to show the source or mechanism of creating the concept if the truth of the application can then be sought. The moral idea and the deduction are the contents of the autonomy of reason, and therefore determine the autonomy of morality. Therefore, it is best to move to revealing the intelligent world by thinking, not by intuition, by concepts, not by images. Only in this way can it be understood that the essence of the concepts is to be the product of reason, for only there is the basis of the moral law. No philosophizing with feelings, through feelings, can find the source of morality.

Concerning the dispute about the relationship between happiness and virtue as a goal or tool, the philosopher believes that the metaphysics of morality should explore the idea and principles of possible pure will rather than the actions and conditions of the human request at all. Kant transforms ethics into the science of what is due, not the natural in human behavior, and therefore can not be based on the study of human nature. He suggests that ethics be put on another basis. For him, achieving the goal is indifferent from a moral point of view. The moral must be sought and found not in the actions but in the will that pursues them. The motif is the only moral point, regardless of whether the person will try to realize it. Will is manifested through "I am obliged". From this position, happiness and morality are two different elements of the higher good. Kant's happiness is self-satisfaction. The moral fact is a fact of reason. the fact of morality and the fact of reason are identical. The moral fact is actually reason. Mind confirms that moral judgment is a priori .

Moral judgment is already metaphysical, which is why moral experience and metaphysical experience are identical. Moral philosophy is a pure rational philosophy separated from all empirical elements. Of course, there is an immediate conclusion here - sensitivity is reduced to self-love and selfishness. Mind does not gain its value from its purpose, but from its principle. Thus morality can be justified a priori. Morality is totally independent of man's sensory nature. People's imperfection can not prevent the establishment of morality, because people are perhaps incapable of moral actions but capable of moral judgments. That is why Kant resorts to the moral fact as a fact of reason - this fact is real, if it finds an obligation in moral judgment, it can actually become a law of human action. This law is the categorical imperative. Assuming that the categorical imperative exists in man, it means accepting that there is only the moral judgment, which proves that the only absolute is the goodwill