The highest good (summum bonum) as the goal of morality

Kant

RationalismEmpiricismDeontologicalAbsoluteInnate MoralityUniversalisable principlesSummum Bonum

Key terms so far

The only intrinsically good reason for moral action is the ‘good will’.

Acting according to the good will means you do an action because it is good to do, not because of any consequences.

Kant gave the example of a shopkeeper. Kant concludes that the act which is in accordance

with the ‘good will’ is doing an action because it is the right thing to do and it achieves the Summum Bonum (the highest good).

The highest good is according to Kant found in virtue

What is a virtue and a vice?

Kant defines virtue as “the moral strength of a human being's will in fulfilling his duty” and vice as “principled immorality”.

In other words for Kant virtue is about fulfilling moral principles set out by our rationality and is what brings about happiness

The highest good and Virtue

Kant’s moral argumentWe are required to attain the summum

bonum (the highest good)◦Reason tells us that obedience should bring about

the summum bonum◦But sometimes our obedience can lead to

misinterpretation This can lead to more suffering

◦The summum bonum must involve both perfect virtue and perfect happiness

Kant’s moral argumentWe can only be obliged to do something that

we can actually do◦Kant’s assumption◦We must be able to fulfil our obligation

Kant’s moral argumentWe cannot reach the summum bonum with

the assistance of God◦We are not the cause of the world◦We do not have the power to achieve SB◦Even if we could achieve perfect morality we

cannot guarantee connecting it with perfect happiness

Kant’s moral argumentSince we are obliged to attain the summum

bonum, God must exist to ensure that we can achieve that which we are obliged to do.◦If we cannot attain the SB on our own we need

help◦It follows that such help must be the best and must

therefore be God

Explain Kant’s arguments that a moral action must be free and yet that morality must ultimately be justified by the highest good. You can do this as a table if you like of freedom and justifiable

To what extent do you find these arguments problematic?

Written Task