Your opinion of Kant's quote - Only the decent into the hell of self-knowledge can pay the way to godliness?
Knowledge is power, both metaphorically and literally. The one with maximum knowledge would be the one with maximum power and that is as near to Godliness as one could hope to get. Now, any and all knowledge in this world, has generated from self-reflection. As Kant says, things existed "a priori" but their realization came to us after wards. For example, gravity existed in 10,000 B.C. as it does today. So, basically Kant says, its descent into self-reflection and knowledge only that can take a being to the highest level of knowledge, awareness and power. And every person at that level is going to be acutely aware of futility of many things we enjoy. So, if ignorance is bliss, excess knowledge is hell.
What does this quote by Kantian mean?
Kantian Ethics mang.. Immanuel Kant was his name :) lawl. Basically this dude thought that the world should be run on certain categorical imperatives .. instead of focusing on utilitarianism. His theory is based on the idea that as long as you follow these imperatives and act in a moral way then the consequences of your actions don't matter. What's stupid about it is say for example a person knocked on your door and said please house me I'm getting chased by a murderer according to Kantian Ethics and his categorical imperatives you should help this person. What if then the murderer knocked on your door and asked you if you're housing this person? According to his categorical imperative that you base your Maxims on you are obliged not to tell a lie so you tell him where he is and he dies. It's unrealistic and stupid in my opinion, because everything is relative to the situation -- You cannot structure the way you live your life around categorical imperatives that are ironically formed by the use of Consequentialism. Now that we've gotten the background out of the way here's the answer to your question that you could have found on wikipedia lol: "Good will, duty, and the categorical imperative Since considerations of the physical details of actions are necessarily bound up with a person's subjective preferences, and could have been brought about without the action of a rational will, Kant concluded that the expected consequences of an act are themselves morally neutral, and therefore irrelevant to moral deliberation. The only objective basis for moral value would be the rationality of the good will, expressed in recognition of moral duty. Duty is the necessity to act out of reverence for the moral law set by the categorical imperative. Because the consequences of an act are not the source of its moral worth, the source must be the maxim under which the act is performed, irrespective of all aspects or faculties of desire. Thus, an act can have moral content if, and only if, it is carried out solely with regard to a sense of moral duty; it is not enough that the act be consistent with duty, it must be carried out in the name of fulfilling a duty.." Hope this helps!
Where does the Kant quote 'The hand is the window to the mind' come from?
Can anyone tell me where this quote by Immanuel Kant comes from? 'The hand is the window to the mind'. I have found it repeated on the internet in many places but cannot find which text it is originally from. It might not appear word for word like that it in the text, but I understand it to mean that using our hands and experiencing things comes first.. and through using our hands and experiencing things first hand we are able to learn, and can understand them and the world around us better. If anyone knows in which text Kant talks about this I would be so grateful to hear.. Thanks!
Can someone please explain this Immanuel Kant quote?
I've just started an Ethics class at university and have to write a paper on this quote by Kant. Usually, I can easily comprehend most of what I read regarding philosophy/ethics, but I'm having a hell of a time with this. A brief explanation please? "A metaphysic of morals is therefore indispensably necessary, not merely for speculative reasons, in order to investigate the sources of the practical principles which are to be found a priori in our reason, but also because morals themselves are liable to all sorts of corruption, as long as we are without that clue and supreme canon by which to estimate them correctly."
WHAT DOES THIS QUOTE mean? Written by Immanuel Kant.?
It comes from “Lectures on Ethics” Kant was discussing the fact that by use of prudence; if a man acts unwisely then reproaches himself then he has learned his lesson, he is now using prudence, and it must be counted to him as honor, for this is a sign of strength of character. However the accusation of conscience is much like a legal judge to the authority of morality. Our conscience either acquits us or condemns us guilty. The use of the voice of conscience is one that should lead us to prudence, but to hear that voice we must first understand morality and where it comes from. I hope this helps.
R&S: Do you agree with this quote by Immanuel Kant?
“Natural sexual union takes place either in accordance with mere animal nature or in accordance with law. Sexual union in accordance with law is marriage (matrimonium), that is, the union of two persons of different sexes for lifelong possession of each other’s sexual attributes. The end of begetting and bringing up children may be an end of nature, for which it implanted the inclination of sexes for each other; but it is not a requisite for human beings who marry to make this their end in order for their union to be compatible with rights, for otherwise marriage would be dissolved when procreation ceases.” This is taken from Immanuel Kant’s ‘Metaphysics of Morals’.
The reference of Immanuel Kant saying "I belong therefore I am"?
If you are asking why Kant said this it was in response to the philosphy of his French contemporary Descartes who is famous for saying "I think therefore I am." Kant is saying he disagrees with Descartes on one of his more controversial beliefs that humans are "machines" and their body and souls are two seperate objects.