Immanuel Kant, Groundwork | More Examples for 1st Formulation of Cat. Imperative | Core Concepts

[@LouFederer]

Really good video. Your videos are so helpful! Thank you and keep them coming.

[@Neonhelmet]

Lovely, GJ! I really enjoy the new format. Keep it up, and thank you for spending some of my new years eve with me :)

[@TheRepugnantConclusion]

This helped me immensely in my studies. Thank you for your persistence in helping elucidate complicated philosophical texts to students.

[@GregoryBSadler]

You're very welcome!

[@GregoryBSadler]

Will do!

[@GregoryBSadler]

You're welcome! What's GJ?

[@GregoryBSadler]

Well, there's parts of the MoM that are kind of tough. Some are completely puzzling -- I've never been able to really make sense out of what Kant actually means by desire and will in terms of his own system! But, parts of it are much easier to grasp than the Groundwork -- which, I know, is somewhat strange, since you'd think the introductory work should be easier, right?

[@brittanybrocker6181]

I love your videos! I am in a philosophy class right now and they are very helpful in nailing down the concepts. You're awesome. Thank you!

[@GregoryBSadler]

Brittany Brocker Glad that you're finding them useful -- that's what they're designed to do

[@dirtierdog]

Thanks Dr. Sadler. I've read parts his Metaphysics of Morals, and a lot of this escaped me. This video particularly pointed out his method and it is sounding much more reasonable. Although, I've heard mixed interpretations of his beliefs. Some have said that the axe-murderer dilemma show that Kant believed maxims apply to general acts, such as lying general. You seem to believe that the maxims apply to specific things, like killing in self defense. Can you explain how you interpret it that way?

[@GregoryBSadler]

Aha! Thanks!

[@GregoryBSadler]

Well, Kant does think we have a duty -- a looser, meritorious duty -- do do good deeds, i.e. promote the happiness, of others. He discusses that in the Groundwork and in the actual Metaphysics of Morals -- what's not positive about that?

[@Neonhelmet]

Good Job :)

[@GregoryBSadler]

No, that's definitely one of the areas where I depart from Kant -- I should add that I'm not myself a Kantian. For Kant, Lying does seem to be itself wrong -- though, if you read through the actual Metaphysics of Morals (not the Groundwork), you might find something quite interesting in that respect. Not going to say what it is, since that's somewhat of a spoiler

[@GregoryBSadler]

Well, I can just speak for the philosophers, but I'd say that that view that they dwell more on evil than good is far too sweeping a generalization. It certainly would not apply well to Plato, Aristotle, Anselm, Augustine, Thomas Aquinas, G.W.F. Hegel, Max Scheler, Dietrich Von Hildebrand -- just to name a few. There's both a clear priority of the good over evil in their work, and a focus on analyzing kinds of goodness. Now, that said, it would definitely apply to SOME philosophers

[@dirtierdog]

I do feel like both are still very general, they are not nearly as general as simply the act of lying in itself. Though I agree with your views (that should be how to perceive things like lying and killing), Kant seemed to reply to the axe murderer with honesty, telling him where his friend is but knowing she will be killed. Lying in itself, as it seems with Kant, is immoral. Or am I misunderstanding something?

[@GregoryBSadler]

Well, there's no reason not to see "killing another person in order to preserve one's own life" or, for that matter "killing another person in order to preserve the lives of innocents who that person clearly intends to kill" to be just as much maxims -- and just as general -- as those like "lying to gain some financial advantage"

[@dirtierdog]

You tease! I can barely understand the Groundwork, let alone the super intimidating MoM.

[@99vhtech28]

Spiritual murder/ suicide, thuật ngữ này lạ với mình

[@GregoryBSadler]

No idea what you're referring to