VIRTUOUS LIVING - Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University

(i)(ii)Moral law requires that genuine moral living be expressed in a rationaldedication to do one’s duty for duty’s sake alone. A moral action will qualifyif it is undertaken independent of consequences, whatever they may be (cfScarre 1998:615).The moral agent’s action should be motivated by good intentions only. Theintentions are invested in the “good will” which is the “only thing that is goodwithout qualification” (Scarre 1998:616). Kant argued:We can conceive two principia pathologia of morality, the oneaiming at the satisfaction of all our inclinations, the other at thesatisfaction of one particular inclination, the inclination of morality.The aim of the first would be merely physical feeling; the secondwould be based on an intellectual inclination (Kant 1924:37).(iii)(iv)Kant maintained that “an intellectual inclination is a contradiction in terms; fora feeling for objects of the understanding is in itself an absurdity, so that amoral feeling resulting from an intellectual inclination is also an absurdity andis, therefore, impossible” (Kant 1924:37).The “good will” of the moral agent is based on maxims. These maxims aregeneral truths which humans as unique beings are endowed with. This givesthe moral agent the “capacity to make genuine moral decisions grounded in arationally governed, autonomous will obedient to moral laws, irrespective ofnatural desires or inclinations” (Scarre 1998:616).Kant establishes categorical imperatives as evaluators of genuine maxims ofmoral worth. As a rule, the maxim must pass the test of being grounded in apriori principles for its objectivity and rational foundation. Three categoricalimperatives are reiterated: (a) Universalisabilty: Act only on that maximthrough which you can at the same time “will” that it should become auniversal law. (b) Means/ends: Act in such a way that you always treathumanity, whether in your own person or in the person of any other, neversimply as a means, but always at the same time an end; (c) Autonomy: Act sothat you treat the will of every rational being as a will which makes universallaw (cf Scarre 1998: 617).129