Zur Methode der Grundlegung der Ethik bei Kant / On Kant's Method of his Foundation of Ethics

What is it about?

Kant did not explain expressly the Method of his Foundation of Ethics. However, we can comprehend it as the demonstration of the originality of Morality. This demonstration consist in disclosing the place or the topos and the turning or trope of its originating. According to Kant, the first is the Will as Practical Reason; the latter is the turning of the Will towards itself as Autonomy. The result of such groundwork is, first, the evidence of the authenticity of Morality and, hence, its unconditional validity. Second, we get a normative criterion for the contents of Morality, which in Kant takes the form of the Categorical Imperative.

Featured Image

Why is it important?

Morality cannot be derived from anything non-moral – such a relation of derivation would destroy it. Therefore, there cannot be a justification or proof of Morality in the strong sense, there can only be a “groundwork”, as the term “Grundlegung” is normally translated in English. This groundwork or grounding consist in disclosing the place or the topos and the turning or trope of its originating. The evidence of the originality or authenticity of Morality is the only possible demonstration of its unconditional validity. At the same time it is sufficient, since such original validity is not conditioned on anything extra-moral. The article seeks to defend that there is no alternative to Kant’s Method of the Foundation of Ethics. However, by describing this Method in a purely formal way, the author aims to open up the possibility to implement it in another way and with other results then Kant does.