A Detailed Analysis: Reconstructing Kant's Argument for Goodwill

This essay reconstructs Immanuel Kant's argument that goodwill is the only thing that can be considered good without qualification. It examines Kant's reasoning for dismissing other candidates like courage, wealth, and happiness, highlighting that these can be used for immoral purposes. The essay emphasizes that according to Kant, moral worth stems not merely from acting in accordance with duty but from acting for the sake of duty itself. The analysis references Plato's perspectives on moral values and the inherent goodness, necessity, and purity associated with them, further enriching the understanding of Kant's ethical truth. The essay concludes by underscoring the significance of these distinctions in grasping Kant's and Plato's ethical frameworks for moral knowledge.

Running Head: Philosophy
Philosophy
Kant’s Claims of Goodwill

Philosophy
Kant claims that the only thing which is good with no qualification is good will. All the other
candidates for the basic good has issues. Things like courage, money and health, all these
could be used for purposes which are ill and hence, they are not and can never be essentially
good. Happiness is never essentially good because even when happiness is worthy, one will
always be needing the good will. Hence, good will is in reality the only good which is
unconditional in spite of all infringements. Bad luck might stop someone who is not capable
of achieving the goals but the goodness will still persist (Korsgaard, 1983).
Goodness can never incept from acting on impulse and normal inclination even if the impulse
accords with the duty. It can incept only from conceiving one’s actions in a particular way.
Kant further claims and argues that moral good is not just enough to be done that it conforms
to the law rather it should be done for the law (Dierksmeier, 2013). In other words, it can be
said that the act of a person which is considered to be kind, overcomes a normal lack of
sympathy for people who do not respect their duty and have moral worth whereas the person
who feels the pleasure in the act of spreading happiness and jot to others would not overcome
the lack of sympathy. The moral worth of any person should not depend upon what exactly
the nature has given to him naturally (Thompsom, 1999).
Kant states that values which are moral are good with no qualification. There were same
remarks of Plato which can be understood with respect of the moral data.
1.Moral values are good and they are not relative to the judgements. 2. The goodness is
essential in normal nature of actions and not dependent on the subjective satisfaction. 3.
Goodness displayed in necessary and higher sense of the opinion and idea of values. 4. The
goodness can never be insulted like intelligent, visual, explosive and other values. 5. Which
that can never be sacrificed for any other value is the goodness as it is comparatively higher
and the first to sought for. 6. The goodness makes the person good. 7. All the ways of
participation in values which are moral are associated with the most important and needed
good for any person. 8. These values are good in the sense that they are unrestricted by being
pure and perfect neither in the whole world and nor outside of it anything could be found out
which is good without the qualification except the goodness which is in fact better to have. 9.
The values are good with no conditions as they mean towards the end. 10. These values
invokes the absolute sense in which they are good (Mishra, 2014).
These are the distinctions which allow the grasp in a better ethical truth of Kant and Plato for
the moral knowledge of mankind.
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Philosophy
References
Dierksmeier, C., 2013. Kant on Virtue. Journal of Business Ethics, 113(4).
Korsgaard, C. M., 1983. Two Distinctions In Goodness. The Philosophical Review, 92(2).
Mishra, P. J., 2014. Kantian Ethics And Jain Spiritual-Ethical Conducts. Journal of Business
Management & Social Sciences Research, 3(6).
Korsgaard, C. M., 1983. Two Distinctions In Goodness. The Philosophical Review, 92(2).
Thompsom, J. J., 1999. Goodness and Advice. [Online]
Available at: https://tannerlectures.utah.edu/_documents/a-to-z/t/Thomson_01.pdf
[Accessed 22 June 2018].
Dierksmeier, C., 2013. Kant on Virtue. Journal of Business Ethics, 113(4).
Mishra, P. J., 2014. Kantian Ethics And Jain Spiritual-Ethical Conducts. Journal of Business
Management & Social Sciences Research, 3(6).
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