Kant's Interpretation Of The Concept Of Obligation In "Foundation Of Moral Metaphysics"

The concept of duty is a very important concept in Kant's moral philosophy.His mature thoughts about duty were mainly found in the book "The Foundation of Moral Metaphysics" which published in April 1785,but his thinking on the concept of duty runs through his entire career of moral philosophy.This article firstly focuses on the process of the formation and development of Kant's concept of duty.On one hand,Kant's concept of duty was deeply influenced by the Enlightenment movement in Europe in the 17 th centuries.Under the influence of rationalism,Kant proposed an abstract formula of duty.On the other hand,after being destructive by the sentiment theory,he got new thoughts about the emotional material of duty.He was enlightened by Baumgarden and other emotionalist philosophers' theories and affirmed their works which made the "moral sense" as the motivation of duty.However,he is obviously not content with a prescriptive giver who is outside the concept of duty.It is undoubtedly contrary to the general concept he pursues.After being inspired by Hume's theories about "external observer",He turned to the concept of duty itself and the rationality of the practitioner of the duty where he find the basis of the duty.It is the concept of duty in the "Metaphysical Foundation of Metaphysics".In "The Principle of Moral Metaphysics," Kant detailed the process of deducing the existence of a moral law from ordinary moral concepts.The research on the concept of duty is mainly divided into four major parts: the pre-logical concept of duty,the formal basis of the concept of duty,the material of the concept of duty and the inherent presumption of dignity and duty.The concept of duty play a very important role in ethical practice.Since the will does not always act directly because the behavior is good,it needs an obvious motivation to guide the action.Kant believes that the duty is a suitable motivation.Only the behavior which have been done from duty has moral value.Any act of duty for other purposes does not have morally valuable to Kant.The duty is still a practical concept.This article discusses the relationship between duty and the qualifications of being happy.It also talk about the possibility that a behavior have been done only from duty.Kant's interpretation about the concept of duty in the “Foundation of Moral Metaphysics” is the answer to the basic question what is duty in moral philosophy.It is a meta-concept of moral philosophy.Although this concept of duty is often criticized for its vagueness,it has set a height that can be relied upon in morality.Although it cannot be reached,we are longing for it.