The Moral Importance of Politeness in Kant's Anthropology

Abstract

In his Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Morals (1784), Kant explains that ethics, like physics, ‘will have its empirical part, but it will also have a rational part, … though here [in ethics] the empirical part might be given the special name practical anthropology’ (4: 388). In the Groundwork, Kant suggests that anthropology, or the ‘power of judgment sharpened by experience’, has two roles, ‘to distinguish in what cases [moral laws] are applicable’ and ‘to gain for [moral laws] access to the human will’ (4: 389). Twelve years later, the first function, of applying the categorical imperative to specifically human situations, is incorporated into Kant's Metaphysics of Morals (1797).

Kant, Xunzi and the Artificiality of Manners

“…Frierson also provides a detailed discussion of how illusions can motivate, which does much to explain and extend Kant's rather short comments on the issue (Frierson 2005). …”

“…Secondly, we are under the impression that we are avoiding unpleasant experiences (i.e., the experience of effort). But in doing so we are in fact conjuring up a most unpleasant state, namely boredom (Frierson 2005;Kant 1968, 151-2). Manners trick us into avoiding this problematic form of passivity by engaging us in pleasurable pursuits such as conversation, which, while seemingly effortless, nevertheless keeps our minds occupied and turns us into more cultured beings (Kant 1968, 152).…”

“…According to Kant, respect is something we owe to everyone, simply because they are persons. 6 For a further discussion of self-deceit, its relation to passions and importance for Kant's position on human nature, see Wood (Wood 2014, 44) 7 For a more detailed interpretation that also explores the different discussions on self-deception, which Kant offers in his Lectures on Anthropology, again see Frierson's analysis (Frierson 2005 …”

Kant’s empirical account of human action

“…e.g. Frierson 2003: 48-67, Louden 2000). This does not imply that the account of human nature is any less causally determinist, though it does raise some important problems for how to understand the relationship between freedom and empirical influences (cf.…”

“…This is, for Kant, an example of how "a person may be compelled to duty by others" (27:521). 74 For more on the role of politeness in cultivating character, see Brender 1997, and Frierson 2005 ence of education, help to "produce" character. 75 75 Kant's account of the origin of character is not limited to external influences on character.…”