kant's law of duty
In Immanuel Kant's Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Morals, Kant's first proposition about duty states, "A human action is morally good, not because it is done from immediate inclination-still less because it is done from self-interest-but because it is done for the sake of duty." In this saying, Kant searches for the truth of this proposition by giving several examples. The first example is that of a shopkeeper who has no immediate inclination to not overcharge an inexperienced customer (which is his duty), but he changes his stance out of the duty for self-interest. Kant then gives three examples that a person performs an action required by duty. These actions would be to preserve one's life, act beneficently towards those in need, or promote one's own happiness. In the first case, the person has the drive to perform an action out of self-love, preservation, and sympathy. In the second case, the person performs the action because it is his duty. In these examples of acting from duty, someone most overcome some opposing force against their action, and act without the help of inclination. Kant's idea is that while the first of these cases where action conforms to duty but is motivated by an immediate inclination, will eli
In order for an action to be done from duty, it must accommodate to duty. For example, many people may help others, to make themselves happy, and perhaps to look good in other eyes. Another example is let's say I get in a serious accident and I am recuperating in the hospital. I have pleasure in helping people sometimes. I don't agree with Kant's view of duty in several ways. Such actions satisfy the demands of duty are morally crucial and honor moral approval. The moral worth of an action is more than its compatibility with the requirements of duty. Instead, he believes that a more genuine example would be someone who feels no charitable inclination, but rather works to help others because he or she recognizes that it is his/her duty to do so. Not all good things done will merit this, but only the ones done from duty, and not personal benefits. Kant claims that moral worth goes beyond the honor of moral acclaim. The action must be fitting to what duty requires and done, and done in a certain way. I think Kant undervalues emotions in thinking that they can't be morally worthy motives. The moral worth has to be aimed in the right way, and only has moral worth if done out from duty. However, this would not be considered a moral duty according to Kant. cit approval from common rational moral cognition, the second of these case, where duty is the sole motive, will elicit esteem and Kant claims that esteem is only merited by the moral worth of an action.
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