Kant's Categorical Imperative - Essay Example

He also suggests that a person’s action as a result of his goodwill is a moral action. Kant’s moral theory emphasizes more on the duty rather than the consequences of an action. This property makes scholars to term Kantian ethics as deontological (Kant, p.56). Deontological ethics claim that some actions are intrinsically wrong while others are intrinsically right. According to Kant, this concept is an order that requires the obedience of the subordinates to it as if it is a moral duty. The subordinate’s obedience to the duty is a requirement that does not regard individual desires.

This enables the creation of an unconditional society with the basis of reason and free will. The function of categorical imperatives is to act as a test for the principles of our actions and check whether they are moral or not. The principle behind these categorical imperatives is the principle of fair play (Kant, p.84). The idea of fair play means that a person cannot make an exception for himself for his own personal gains. According to Kant, humans can act according to the categorical imperative by taking three forms of action.

The philosopher argues that humans should act only according to the adages which they can will to be universal laws. This implies that humans should act in ways that are universally acceptable (Kant, p.112). He also suggests that humans should treat humanity as an end to itself and never merely as a means to their ends. This implies that humans should perceive their race as having the ability to accomplish many different issues. They should not treat humans as a means to satisfying their needs but rather as a means through which they can achieve their targets (Kant, p.23). Finally, the philosopher suggests that humans should act as though they are members in the kingdom of ends in which they are subject and sovereign at the same time.