Kant's Universalizability Theory
Introduction
A real knowledge, one ought to know, goes along with the morality of such knowledge. In so much, before one can be admitted or introduced into a particular area of study, one must be acquainted the morality or the value of such field of study. For this same reasons, morality is very crucial in the day-to-day activities of human existence and in all frontiers of knowledge. The branch of philosophy that addresses questions about morality and value judgment which concerns itself with habits, customs, and ways of life especially in the concept of good and bad, right or wrong, noble or ignoble, justice and virtue is termed ethics. Hence, ethics as the branch of philosophy deals with the morality of human actions; or as the branch of philosophy which studies the norms of human behavior. [1]
The goal of ethics is morality, the oughtness of an action, the essence of morality and the standard for judging an action to be right or wrong, good or bad. For the sake of this paper, I shall make a quick review on Immanuel Kant’s theory of universalizability that centers around the discourse on morality.
Immanuel Kant (1724-1804)
Immanuel Kant was German philosopher born in Konigsberg Prussia (now Kaliningrad, Russia), whose philosophy flourished around 18th century. His main interests were in epistemology, metaphysics ethics, logic and aesthetics. Influenced by many and influenced more, he was exceptionally critical and a German idealist. Kant was the last influential philosopher of modern Europe in the classic sequence of the theory of knowledge during the enlightenment beginning with thinkers like John Locke, George Beckley and David Hume [2]. He published important works mostly on epistemology, as well as other related works. One of the most prominent of his works is the CRITIQUE OF PURE REASON (1781), which was a critical investigation into the limitations and structures of the human capability to reason. It also includes a critique against metaphysics and
A real knowledge, one ought to know, goes along with the morality of such knowledge. In so much, before one can be admitted or introduced into a particular area of study, one must be acquainted the morality or the value of such field of study. For this same reasons, morality is very crucial in the day-to-day activities of human existence and in all frontiers of knowledge. The branch of philosophy that addresses questions about morality and value judgment which concerns itself with habits, customs, and ways of life especially in the concept of good and bad, right or wrong, noble or ignoble, justice and virtue is termed ethics. Hence, ethics as the branch of philosophy deals with the morality of human actions; or as the branch of philosophy which studies the norms of human behavior. [1]
The goal of ethics is morality, the oughtness of an action, the essence of morality and the standard for judging an action to be right or wrong, good or bad. For the sake of this paper, I shall make a quick review on Immanuel Kant’s theory of universalizability that centers around the discourse on morality.
Immanuel Kant (1724-1804)
Immanuel Kant was German philosopher born in Konigsberg Prussia (now Kaliningrad, Russia), whose philosophy flourished around 18th century. His main interests were in epistemology, metaphysics ethics, logic and aesthetics. Influenced by many and influenced more, he was exceptionally critical and a German idealist. Kant was the last influential philosopher of modern Europe in the classic sequence of the theory of knowledge during the enlightenment beginning with thinkers like John Locke, George Beckley and David Hume [2]. He published important works mostly on epistemology, as well as other related works. One of the most prominent of his works is the CRITIQUE OF PURE REASON (1781), which was a critical investigation into the limitations and structures of the human capability to reason. It also includes a critique against metaphysics and
References: Blackburn S. (2001) BEING GOOD: A Short Introduction to Ethics. Oxford: Oxford University Press Brinton, C. (1967) ENCYCLOPEDIA OF PHILOSOPHY Vol. 2. MacMillan DICTIONARY OF PHILOSOPHY 2nd edition Kelly, Eugene. (2006) THE BASIS OF WESTERN PHILOSOPHY Greenwood Press Lacey, A Locke, D. (1968) THE TRIVIALIZABILITY OF UNIVERSALIZABILITY: Philosophical review Omoregbe, J.I Pakon H.J. (1948) THE MORAL LAW Russell Bertrand (1948) HISTORY OF WESTERN PHILOSOPHY