Introduction
Immanuel Kant was born in Konigsberg, which was the capital of Prussia, which is currently known as Kaliningrad city in Russia in the year 1724. He was the fourth child in a family of nine children. His original name that he got after he was baptized was Emanuel, which he changed to Immanuel after getting converted to Hebrew. For the best part of his childhood he stayed at Konigsberg. The father to Kant was a German harness-maker from Memel, which was the most northeastern city in Prussia. Kant’s father died when Kant was 22 years of age. His mother Anna Regina was born in Nuremberg and died at the age of 40 while Kant was 13 years old (Hudson, 2001).
In his young age was an unspectacular student. He was brought up in a family where religion was adversely respected and no party in the family could have ignored any matter that was related to religion. Therefore, Kant was exemplarily aware of the Bible at an extremely tender age. Through adverse knowledge that he had gained through the bible he remained devoted to religious practices and personal humility. He went through a strict education system that favored religious education and Latin over science and mathematics. However, after spending adequate time in religious school he became skeptical of religion and dropped the interest later in life (Hudson, 2001).
His first school was Collegium Fredericianum after which he qualified to join the University of Konigsberg at 16 years of age in 1740. In the university he studied the Leibniz’s and Wolff’s philosophy. His instructor was Martin Knutzen who was a rationalist and extremely familiar with British Philosophy’s development. Knutzen introduced Kant to the Newton’s physics Kant was dissuaded from the pre-established harmony theory as well as the theory of idealism (Hudson, 2001).
After graduating from the university Kant became a private tutor for small children for six years outside his city of birth. Following lack of support from parents who had already passed on Kant found it to farther his education. In 1754 he went back to Konigsberg and became a teacher at the Albertina in 1755. He remained in the school for forty years where he taught philosophy until he retired as a teacher in 1796 (Hudson, 2001).
While still a teacher Kant had published two scientific books in 1754 and 1755. One of the books was the Universal Natural History and Theory of the Heavens which he published in 1755. One of the qualifications that gave him an opportunity to teach in the University was the set of Dissertations that he had written in Latin. These dissertations ranged from scientific ones to philosophical ones. As an unsalaried lecturer at the University students were required to pay directly to him. Therefore, his work was extremely bulk since he had to offer quality education for long hours so that he could reap maximum income. However, he continued with his philosophical work until when he published other publications in 1762-1764.
In his work he addressed various philosophical issues which touched on various issues in the society that are extremely sensitive. In this case, he had come up with philosophical arguments as well as dissertations that aimed at spreading some of the gospel that he read. However, at some points he challenged the kind of information that he obtained from excessively reading the bible. Also he brought up issues that would have influenced peaceful coexistence of the members of the society.
Philosophical work
Kant’s philosophical work begins with his aim of trying to define enlightenment. He defined as an age that was guided by a Latin motto that goes “Dare to know”. Kant argued that an individual must be allowed to think independently with no influence by any external power. This argument was extremely helpful in identifying the differences between empiricist traditions and rationalists that took place in the 18th century. His argument was extensively influential to both German and Romantic Idealist philosophies. He marked a starting point for many philosophers in the 20th century (Rescher, 2003).
Kant argued that since there were limitations of argumentation in the absence of incontrovertible evidence no one had the real understanding on whether God exists or not as well as understand whether there was life after death. However, he reasoned on the ground of morality and advised people that they are justified to believe in God although even if it would be extremely difficult for them to know the existence of God. The reasoning that he tried to come on the basis of the soul, God, and freedom may be defined as pure philosophy. “Soul, God, and freedom form the basis for proper understanding of religion” (Rescher, 2003).
The critical idea of the philosophical work by Kant was based on the idea of human autonomy. This brought in extensive understanding to the general nature laws. Autonomy is the proper definition of the process of giving the law to oneself. According to his views, people’s understanding makes laws that make the priori outline of human experience. He denied that human understanding provides the matter or content of their experience. However, he supported that understanding provides the main formal structure within which individuals experience any issue that is received through their senses. His main argument was the transcendental deduction, upon which the condition of self-consciousness understanding develops in this manner. This dictates self-consciousness as the most critical principle of Kant’s philosophical work.
Kant was also extremely keen on defining perception. He did this through excellent definition of the theory of perception. He explained that people’s understanding was based on their experience as well as previous concepts.
His philosophical work extended to the analysis of propositions. He said that analytic propositions are factual in nature. This means that synthetic statements are true in nature and they will always talk of something that is associated to the globe. The falsehood and the truth of synthetic statements comes from something that is beyond of the content of their language (Sullivan, 1989).
On elementary mathematics, Kant argued that elementary mathematics is based on synthetic statements. These are statements that will always tell us about the truth on one’s period of learning. He dictated that these sets of definition were based on experience. He argued that the extent of experience cannot be measured.
Kant’s Moral Philosophy
Kant came up with an argument that moral requirements were anchored on a rationality standard that referred to as categorical imperative (CI). His proposal was that immorality revolved around violation of categorical imperative thus it is irrational. In his work, Kant agreed with some of his predecessors on that the analysis of practical reason would only reveal what was required of the rational agents and needs to conform to practical principles. Although, he pushed for conformity to the CI he had direct impact to moral requirements for individuals. His analysis was on the basis that the willingness must be inbuilt. Therefore, according to him moral philosophy is an idea of thought for reasoning whose practicality goes beyond mind slavery to passions for human beings. He concluded that individuals will always have a reason that is self-governing and everyone has a right to see his or her reasoning respected since no two individuals can have reasoning’s that are directly alike. He said “no man is subjected to another man’s pool of ideas and thoughts” (Rescher, 2003).
His most critical work is developed in “The Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Morals” (Rescher, 2003).This is an extremely element in the moral philosophy where Kant tried to explain the relationship between the world nature and a human being. He argues that human morals are dependent on the activities that occur in the society that one lives. He argues that the surroundings will always have direct impact to the mind of the human being as well as how they conduct themselves before the rest of the members of the society. Kant brought in an argument “although, people consistently live in the same world they are uniquely influenced by the nature that surrounds them”.
The other element that Kant touches on in his argument is Moral epistemology. This is a section of the moral theory that aims at defining the problem between knowledge and justification that exists among people. He argued that men are subjects on earth who are supposed to be the agents of the changes they intend to find in the world. Therefore, Kant aimed at analyzing the context of moral knowledge.
As a philosopher, he tried to take his argument a notch higher. Therefore, he analyzed epistemology in various ways. Fist he talked of moral cognitive, which is the definition of the truthfulness and untruthfulness of any belief. He also analyzed realism and said “these are moral facts that are supposed to correspond to certain moral claims as they arise”. He also analyzed the necessity of justified true belief “If a person knows something, he is justified to in it” (Sullivan, 1989). He also analyzed internalism where he said that in order for an individual to know something they have the entire ground to believe in it.
Also he argued that people need to know that there ethical practices that govern the human livelihood. These are rules that were defined by Kant as governing principles for the achievement of excellent living. This is a major element in the analysis of the moral philosophy according to Immanuel Kant. He argues that “Good morals define the strength of ethical values in the society” (Hillner, 2000). This means that ethics as principles should push for healthy living in the world.
Analysis
Kant is an extremely influential philosopher. Beginning from the adverse knowledge he had gained from the bible to the inbuilt philosophical skills Kant remains an outstanding philosopher. His work is enlightenment to moral understanding. He has coined philosophical thoughts into comparisons to the society and the various contributions that human beings are expected to undertake. It is the role of all people to understand that moral philosophy may take the direction of metaphysics, epistemology, as well as ethical practices. Following this extensive contribution to the moral philosophy as well as definition of certain philosophical principles Kant will remain an outstanding philosopher as his principles are understood up to date.
Works Cited
Hillner, Kenneth P.. A psychological approach to ethical reality. Amsterdam: Elsevier, 2000. Print.
Hudson, Hud. A materialist metaphysics of the human person. Ithaca, N.Y.: Cornell University Press, 2001. Print.
Rescher, Nicholas. Epistemology. New York: SUNY Press, 2003. Print.
Sullivan, Roger J.. Immanuel Kant's moral theory. Cambridge [England: Cambridge University Press, 1989. Print.
