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Single Idea 21412

[filed under theme 24. Political Theory / A. Basis of a State / 1. A People / a. Human distinctiveness ]

Full Idea

The capacity to set oneself an end - any end whatsoever - is what characterises humanity (as distinguished from animality).

Gist of Idea

Humans are distinguished from animals by their capacity to set themselves any sort of end

Source

Immanuel Kant (Metaphysics of Morals II:Doctrine of Virtue [1797], 392 Intro VIII)

Book Ref

Kant,Immanuel: 'The Metaphysics of Morals', ed/tr. Gregor,Mary [CUP 1991], p.195

A Reaction

This appears to exclude animals which hunt, or build nests - but we have now hugely closed the gap between humans and other animals. I like this, because it chimes in with Sandel's Idea 21045.

Related Idea

Idea 21045 Teleological thinking is essential for social and political issues [Sandel]

The 29 ideas from 'Metaphysics of Morals II:Doctrine of Virtue'

21408 For any subject, its system of non-experiential concepts needs a metaphysics [Kant]
21409 Moral principles do not involve feelings [Kant]
21410 That a concept is not self-contradictory does not make what it represents possible [Kant]
21411 A duty of virtue is a duty which is also an end [Kant]
21412 Humans are distinguished from animals by their capacity to set themselves any sort of end [Kant]
21413 Virtue is strong maxims for duty [Kant]
21414 The supreme principle of virtue is to find universal laws for ends [Kant]
21415 Duty is impossible without prior moral feeling, conscience, love and self-respect [Kant]
21416 Philosophers should not offer multiple proofs - suggesting the weakness of each of them [Kant]
21417 How do we distinguish a mean? The extremes can involve quite different maxims [Kant]
21418 There is one principle of virtues; the virtues are distinguished by their objects [Kant]
21419 If virtue becomes a habit, that is a loss of the freedom needed for adopting maxims [Kant]
21420 If virtue is the mean between vices, then virtue is just the vanishing of vice [Kant]
21421 Within nature man is unimportant, but as moral person he is above any price [Kant]
21422 Moral self-knowledge is the beginning of all human wisdom [Kant]
21423 Men can only have duties to those who qualify as persons [Kant]
21424 Cruelty to animals is bad because it dulls our empathy for pain in humans [Kant]
21425 We can love without respect, and show respect without love [Kant]
21427 Respect is limiting our self-esteem by attending to the human dignity of other persons [Kant]
21430 Disrespect is using a person as a mere means to my own ends [Kant]
21428 Respect is purely negative (of not exalting oneself over others), and is thus a duty of Right [Kant]
21426 Love urges us to get closer to people, but respect to keep our distance [Kant]
21429 The duty of love is to makes the ends of others one's own [Kant]
21431 The love of man is required in order to present the world as a beautiful and perfect moral whole [Kant]
21433 Violation of rights deserves punishment, which is vengeance, rather than restitution [Kant]
21434 We must respect the humanity even in a vicious criminal [Kant]
21435 Man is both social, and unsociable [Kant]
21436 We are obliged to show the social virtues, but at least they make a virtuous disposition fashionable [Kant]
21437 All morality directs the will to love of others' ends, and respect for others' rights [Kant]