Kant 10/10

“moral laws… hold as laws only as they can be seen to have an a priori basis and to be necessary…” (pg 9)

This seems to make things very subjective. I will have to re-examine this when I have more time, unless someone could explain to me how this could produce sound arguments?

“Freedom, insofar as it can coexist with the freedom of every other in accordance with a universal law, is the only original right belonging to every man by virtue of his humanity.” (pg 30).

Yes!!!!! And this is the right from which all others are implicated! On this point I agree one-hundred percent with Kant, even though we draw different conclusions from this. Unfortunately, there are problems with this right, and exceptions to be made. At this point, I do not know how to account for these exceptions, so I will admit my ignorance for the time being.

“Natural perfection is the cultivation of any capacities whatever for ends set forth by reason. That this is a duty and so in itself an end, and that the cultivation of our capacities, even without regard for the advantage it affords us, is based on an unconditional (moral) imperative rather than a conditional (pragmatic) one…” (6:392a)

I would use the word “perfection” with caution. Perfection, like infinity, does not actually exist concretely, but rather abstractly; so while we may aim “towards” it, we cannot aim “at” it, and any attempts to do so will end in frustration and undue stress.

“Strength of any kind can be recognized only by the obstacles it can overcome…” (pg 156)

Hmm… I like this quote. It is officially going on my facebook!