Immanuel Kant is one of the most influential philosophers in the history of western philosophy. His contributions to metaphysics and ethics have had a profound affect on other philosophical movements as well. Kant's moral philosophy is centered on the notion of good will. He believes good will is the faculty of acting according to a conception of law. However, we are able to control the will behind our actions. In the first section of his book, Grounding for the Metaphysics of Morals, Kant has two main ... situation? What rule will universally guide action?" Kant's formulation of categorical ...

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• Grade Level: High School

Merriam-Webster diction defines freedom as, "the absence of necessity, coercion, or constraint in a choice of action. "The most common related themes of freedom in todays society pertains to freedom of speech, freedom of press, and other freedoms we now take for granted stated in the Declaration of Independence. Jean-Jacques Rousseau and Immanuel Kant both put their philosophical views of freedom in their works: The Social Contract and The Grounding of Metaphysics of Morals. In the Social Contract, Rousseau primarily focuses ... on achieving freedom in a civil society and further analyzes fre...

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1. Why do we need a metaphysics of morals? Kant argues that a metaphysics of morals is necessary for humans to correctly carry out the "right" or moral action in every situation, since they are often affected by numerous inclinations and desires at once. Without a concrete metaphysics of morals, judgments of morality will be subject to corruption and perversion. 2. In the beginning of section one, Kant considers several qualities that Hume has called praiseworthy -- wit, judgment, courage, resolution, perseverance, moderation -- and deems them ambiguous at best, certainly not worthy of esteem ...

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• Grade Level: High School