Ethical Teachings of Immanuel Kant

Ethical Teachings

of Immanuel

Kantby: Jose Radin L. Garduque

Ethical Teachings of Immanuel Kant:

• Personal Background, Education, Career, Philosophical Work, Astronomical Discovery, Studies, Teaching Career, Death

• Teaching about Animals

• Teachings about Morality

• Teachings About Reason

• Teachings about Happiness


Personal BackgroundImmanuel Kant was born in 1724 in Prussia (Germany). He was the fourth of nine children of Jonathan Kant, a harness-maker and Anna Regina Reuter.


Education After attending a Latin school for over eight years, Kant went to the University of Konigsberg at age 16 where he studied philosophy, mathematics and physics.


Career In 1746, his father died of stroke interrupting his studies. He left the university and earned a living as a private tutor in the smaller towns surrounding Konigsberg.


Philosophical WorkDespite this, Kant pursued his researches and was able to publish his very first philosophical work which was entitled “Thoughts on the True Estimation of Living Forces”.


Astronomical DiscoveryAt the age of 30 in

1754, Kant made an astronomical discovery about the nature of the earth’s rotation in which he won the Berlin Academy Prize.


StudiesThe following year (1755), Kant accepted the help of a friend to continue his study and by 1756, he received his doctorate.

Ethical Teachings of Immanuel Kant:Teaching CareerHe returned to the

University of Konigsberg and remained there for 15 years, teaching science, mathematics and philosophy.

Ethical Teachings of Immanuel Kant:Teaching CareerIn 1770, he received his

professorship in logic and metaphysics and continued to teach there for the next 27 years.


WritingsIn 1781, at the age of 57, Kant published his “Critique of Pure Reason”. The idea of this is to establish and investigate the legitimate limits of human knowledge.


WritingsIn 1797, after 27 years at Konigsberg, Kant introduced his “Metaphysics of Morals and Ethics” in which he placed reason as the fundamental authority for morality.


DeathKant’s health gradually failed and became worse. He died at Konigsberg at the age of 80 in February 12, 1804 uttering “Es ist gut” (It is good) before finally expiring.

Ethical Teachings of Immanuel Kant:Teaching about

Animals“He who is cruel to animals becomes hard also in his dealings with men. We can judge the heart of a man by his treatment of animals.”


Morality“Immaturity is the incapacity to use once intelligence without the guidance of another.”


Morality“Two things awe me most – the starry sky above me and the moral law within me.”


Morality“By a lie, a man annihilates his dignity as a man.”


Morality“In law, a man is guilty when he violates the rights of others. In ethics, he is guilty if he only thinks of doing so.”


Teaching about Reason“All our knowledge begins with the senses, proceeds then to the understanding and ends with reason. There is nothing higher than reason.”


Teaching about Reason“Seek not the favour of the multitude; it is seldom got by honest and lawful means. But seek the testimony of few; and number not voices, but weigh them.”


Happiness“It is not God’s will merely that will make us happy, but we should make ourselves happy.”


Happiness“Morality is not the doctrine of how we may make ourselves happy, but how we make ourselves worthy of happiness.”


Happiness“It is not necessary to live happily, but it is necessary to live honourably.”

Ethical Teachings of Immanuel Kant

A Report in Soc. Sci.416 (Social Ethics)under Prof. JonathanAdjijil at FilamerChristian University,Roxas City, Philippines (2nd Sem., A.Y. 2013-14)