Kants Moral Theory
KANTS MORAL THEORY Main works in ethics: Groundwork for the Metaphysics of Morals, Metaphysical Elements of Justice, Metaphysical Elements of Virtue, Lectures on Ethics Kant believed that precious moral theories were premised upon mistaken conceptions of what had intrinsic value. ... A good will is a will that conforms to moral law. Note that this does not mean that the person acts in a way that conforms to moral law. ... A good will, then, is a will that conforms to moral law. ... Actions take their moral value from the motives of the agent, not from the consequences of the action. The motive that gives an action moral worth is love of duty. Kants view of morality, then, is quite different from previous moral theories, because morality is not grounded in happiness. ... Morality is about freely choosing to act according to rationally defensible moral principles. So, on Kants view, morality is about freely choosing to conform to moral law. This gives rise to the following question: how is moral law possible?