Kant on Despondent Moral Failure

Typically, Kant describes maxims that violate the moral law as engaging in a kind of comparative judgement: the person who makes a false promise judges it best – at least subjectively – to deceive her friend. I argue that this is not the only possible account of moral failure for Kant. In particular...

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Published in:Kantian review 2023-03, Vol.28 (1), p.125-141
Main Author: Moran, Kate
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Language:English
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Credibility
Kant, Immanuel (1724-1804)
Morality
Suicides & suicide attempts
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description Typically, Kant describes maxims that violate the moral law as engaging in a kind of comparative judgement: the person who makes a false promise judges it best – at least subjectively – to deceive her friend. I argue that this is not the only possible account of moral failure for Kant. In particular, when we examine maxims of so-called despondency (Verzagtheit) we find that some maxims are resistant to comparative judgement. I argue that this is true for at least two reasons: first, the despondent agent has a maxim to avoid suffering at all costs; second, this anxious preoccupation with suffering makes the despondent agent prone to failures associated with the imagination and its role in creating an ideal of happiness.
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subjects Credibility
Kant, Immanuel (1724-1804)
Morality
Suicides & suicide attempts
title Kant on Despondent Moral Failure
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