Q1. What is Moral Action, according to Immanuel Kant? What are the Philosophical views on Moral Action?
Key Points:
- Kant defines moral action as stemming from 'Good Will' and performed *from* duty.
- The moral worth of an action for Kant lies in its intention, not its consequences or inclinations.
- Kant's Categorical Imperative requires that an action's maxim be universalizable without contradiction.
- Treating humanity as an end, never merely as a means, is a core Kantian principle for moral action.
Answer: According to Immanuel Kant, a moral action is one performed *from* duty, not merely *in accordance with* duty, and driven by a 'Good Will'. Kant posits that the only thing good without qualification is a Good Will, meaning the intention behind an action is paramount, not its consequences or the actor's inclinations. Kant's ethical framework is deontological, focusing on the inherent rightness of an action itself. An action possesses moral worth if its underlying 'maxim' (the subjective principl...