Kant and Schopenhauer - Essay Example

Kant and Schopenhauer al Affiliation Kant and Schopenhauer Immanuel Kant was a German philosopher (1724-1804) who held that we have amoral responsibility to be truthful. Our human needs bring about moral demands concerning our lives. If our behaviors become irrational, some actions we may take are sometimes unreasonable. All forms of dishonesty are unreasonable. According to Kant, a maxim refers to a ‘principle of action.’ Reason should dictate how we behave and Kant gave no specifications on how we should behave.

Categorical imperative calls for unconditional performance of an action for its sake. Categorical imperative can be termed as an unconditional principle that that all rational human use and it is free form from influence by one’s desire or motive. Human FreedomKant has given proof that human autonomy should be a presupposed state of free will. Moral action is dictated by its uniqueness of the antinomy of freedom and fundamental determination. For one to do the right thing actions intended should have an impact in the world and one has to go on and undertake it to proof that one is free from external influence.

Morality demands for causality and freedom from us. One can be able to conceptualize actions in two ways. One can think in two ways but at the same time, one should be intellectually independent. An autonomous will is required if we are to act morally (Walker, 2012). Moral law is motivated by the desire to attain other interest. Rational will can only come from moral law. This principle emphasizes that people should recognize the freedom of other to act independently to promote universal sable of moral laws.

Kant challenges us to act and our will regarded and while at this, we should be able to make universal laws through this principle. When we follow reason, the world around us will be shaped by the authority that underlies within our will as humans. The End in ItselfThe ‘End in Itself”is another maxim used by Kant. It implies that one should treat others whether in one’s personality or others as resource and at the same as an end. Simply put we should not use others as objects but we should perceive them with dignity and significance we all bear.

This helps us to differentiate things that have instrumental value and those that have inherent value. In life some things are only used as objects to obtain others. We appreciate inherent things for what they are and not for what they help us accomplish. According to Kant, people have inherent in the sense that we are able to go beyond our instincts and make critical decisions concerning our lived and the society at large (Walker, 2012). This ability of making decision without restrictions unveils our human reasoning and illustrates our inherent dignity that is in and itself valuable.

Therefore, we a have a moral obligation to treat others in a manner that their inherent value is reflected as opposed to using them as objects to achieve our personal objectives. Concept of the "will to live"Arthur Schopenhauers concept of the ‘will to live ‘helps us understand why human actions are illogical and directionless, he states "Man can indeed do what he wants, but he cannot will what he wants" (Walker, 2012). This theory brings about the concept of resistance. He illustrates how sometimes we think reluctantly and prejudice our interests and interfere with our wishes and we go further to lay such things before our intellectual ability.

He makes us understand why we deprive our memories and fantasies power by integrating into consciousness. He makes understand that what we see and what we perceive ourselves to be does not entirely describe everything, our description as humans is only have way done. ReferencesWalker, M. T. (2012). Kant, Schopenhauer and morality: Recovering the categorical imperative. New York, NY: Palgrave Macmillan.