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Single Idea 21433
[filed under theme 25. Social Practice / D. Justice / 3. Punishment / b. Retribution for crime
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Full Idea
Every deed that violates a man's right deserves punishment, the function of which is to avenge a crime on the one who committed it (not merely to make good the harm done). ...but no punishment may be inflicted out of hatred.
Gist of Idea
Violation of rights deserves punishment, which is vengeance, rather than restitution
Source
Immanuel Kant (Metaphysics of Morals II:Doctrine of Virtue [1797], 460-1 I.II)
Book Ref
Kant,Immanuel: 'The Metaphysics of Morals', ed/tr. Gregor,Mary [CUP 1991], p.253
A Reaction
A fairly hideous idea, confirming the image of Kant as someone who coldly perfoms ruthless duties. I don't think Kant ever offers any clarity for the concepts of 'deserving' or of 'avenging'. What is the appropriate vengeance for theft?
The
29 ideas
from 'Metaphysics of Morals II:Doctrine of Virtue'
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21408
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For any subject, its system of non-experiential concepts needs a metaphysics
[Kant]
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21409
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Moral principles do not involve feelings
[Kant]
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21410
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That a concept is not self-contradictory does not make what it represents possible
[Kant]
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21411
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A duty of virtue is a duty which is also an end
[Kant]
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21412
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Humans are distinguished from animals by their capacity to set themselves any sort of end
[Kant]
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21413
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Virtue is strong maxims for duty
[Kant]
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21414
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The supreme principle of virtue is to find universal laws for ends
[Kant]
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21415
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Duty is impossible without prior moral feeling, conscience, love and self-respect
[Kant]
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21416
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Philosophers should not offer multiple proofs - suggesting the weakness of each of them
[Kant]
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21417
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How do we distinguish a mean? The extremes can involve quite different maxims
[Kant]
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21418
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There is one principle of virtues; the virtues are distinguished by their objects
[Kant]
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21419
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If virtue becomes a habit, that is a loss of the freedom needed for adopting maxims
[Kant]
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21420
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If virtue is the mean between vices, then virtue is just the vanishing of vice
[Kant]
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21421
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Within nature man is unimportant, but as moral person he is above any price
[Kant]
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21422
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Moral self-knowledge is the beginning of all human wisdom
[Kant]
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21423
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Men can only have duties to those who qualify as persons
[Kant]
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21424
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Cruelty to animals is bad because it dulls our empathy for pain in humans
[Kant]
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21425
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We can love without respect, and show respect without love
[Kant]
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21427
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Respect is limiting our self-esteem by attending to the human dignity of other persons
[Kant]
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21430
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Disrespect is using a person as a mere means to my own ends
[Kant]
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21428
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Respect is purely negative (of not exalting oneself over others), and is thus a duty of Right
[Kant]
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21426
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Love urges us to get closer to people, but respect to keep our distance
[Kant]
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21429
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The duty of love is to makes the ends of others one's own
[Kant]
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21431
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The love of man is required in order to present the world as a beautiful and perfect moral whole
[Kant]
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21433
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Violation of rights deserves punishment, which is vengeance, rather than restitution
[Kant]
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21434
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We must respect the humanity even in a vicious criminal
[Kant]
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21435
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Man is both social, and unsociable
[Kant]
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21436
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We are obliged to show the social virtues, but at least they make a virtuous disposition fashionable
[Kant]
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21437
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All morality directs the will to love of others' ends, and respect for others' rights
[Kant]
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