Kantian Moral Striving

Abstract

This paper focuses on a single question that highlights some of the most puzzling aspects of Kant’s explanation of the duty of moral self-perfection. What kinds of activity count as striving for purity in one’s disposition to duty, or strength of will? I argue that a dominant strand of Kant’s approach to moral striving does not fit familiar models of striving. I seek to address this problem in a way that avoids the flaws of synchronic and atomistic approaches to moral self-discipline by developing an account of Kantian moral striving as an ongoing contemplative activity complexly engaged with multiple forms of self-knowledge.

Avoiding Vice and Pursuing Virtue: Kant on Perfect Duties and ‘Prudential latitude’

“…22 Marcia Baron writes, 'there is a very close connection between virtues and imperfect duties, so close that Kant's notion of an imperfect duty would have to be drastically revised in one wished to sever the connection ' (2011, p. 29). 23 I explain this two-stage model as it is presented in the Metaphysics of Morals and the Religion in my article 'Kantian Moral Striving' (Biss, 2014). Relevant passages in the Metaphysics of Morals include 6:477 and 6:446-7.…”

“…I explain this two‐stage model as it is presented in the Metaphysics of Morals and the Religion in my article ‘Kantian Moral Striving’ (Biss, ). Relevant passages in the Metaphysics of Morals include 6:477 and 6:446–7.…”

A gradual reformation: empirical character and causal powers in Kant

“…23.See e.g. Papish (2007) and Wehofsits (2016) (focusing on the lower powers), and Biss (2015) (focusing on the higher powers).…”

Positive morality and the realization of freedom in Kant's moral philosophy

“…For a more comprehensive and detailed discussion of Grenberg's nuanced account of strengthening reason through attentiveness to the experience of obligation, see section 2 of Biss ().…”