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Kant‟S Universalizability Theory and the Search for a New Moral Order

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Kant‟S Universalizability Theory and the Search for a New Moral Order KANT‟S UNIVERSALIZABILITY THEORY AND THE SEARCH FOR A NEW MORAL ORDER BY ONYEKWERE, BARTHOLOMEW AGUNNIA B.A. (HONS) PHILOSOPHY, (LASU) M.A. PHILOSOPHY (LAGOS) MATRIC NO. 999001065 BEING A THESIS IN THE DEPARTMENT OF PHILOSOPHY, SUBMITTED TO THE SCHOOL OF POSTGRADUATE STUDIES IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE AWARD OF THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY (Ph.D) IN PHILOSOPHY UNIVERSITY OF LAGOS, NIGERIA. SEPTEMBER, 2011. 1 CONTENTS PAGES Certification Dedication i Acknowledgements ii Abstract iii Introduction v CHAPTER ONE: KANT AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF HIS PHILOSOPHY 1.1 Introduction 1 1.2 Kant: A Brief Biography 2 1.3 Life and Philosophic Works 4 1.4 Major Influences on Kant 10 1.5 Kant‟s Revolution in Philosophy 25 CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW 2.1 Introduction 30 2.2 Kant‟s Works 30 2.3 Works of neo-Kantians 55 2.4 Some Criticisms of Kant and Other Works 61 2.5 Kant and Contemporary World 97 CHAPTER THREE: KANT‟S PURE REASON: THE NEED TO ESTABLISH ETHICS ON A SECURE EPISTEMOLOGICAL FOUNDATION 3.1 Introduction 98 3.2 The Meaning of Pure Reason 100 3.3 Mind and Its Functions 104 3.4 Metaphysics of Pure Reason 108 3.5 The Categories of Human Understanding 110 3.6 Human Imagination and Intuition 113 3.7 Kant‟s Pure Reason: Resolution of Ethical and Epistemological Impasse 116 2 CHAPTER FOUR: THE EPISTEMOLOGICAL AND ONTOLOGICAL FOUNDATIONS OF KANT‟S ETHICS 4.1 Introduction 119 4.2 Ethics Before Kant (Classical Moral Outlook) 119 4.2.1 Socrates/Plato: Virtue 119 4.2.2 Aristotle: Happiness (The Doctrine of the Mean) 122 4.2.3 Epicurus: Hedonism 126 4.2.4 The Stoics: Morality as Consolation 128 4.2.5 Christian Ethics: The Divine Will 129 4.2.6 Moral sense Theory 131 4.3 Kant‟s Criticism of Earlier Moral Philosophies 136 4.4 The Ontological Foundation of Kant‟s Ethics 145 4.5 Kant‟s Ethics (Kant‟s Moral Philosophy) 148 4.6 Analytic Summary 173 4.7 The Universalizability Theory 179 4.8 The Ontological Basis of Universalizability Theory 187 4.9 Universalizability Principle and the Quest for New Moral Order 191 4.10 Human Beings as the Legislators of Morality 194 4.11 Deconstruction of Kant 197 4.12 Limitation/Critique 200 CHAPTER FIVE: FACTORS THAT SUPPORT AND /OR MILITATE AGAINST MORAL UNIVERSALIZABILITY 5.1 Introduction 204 5.2 The Primacy of Universal New Moral Order 205 5.3 The Level of Moral Consciousness 208 5.4 Basic Assumptions of a People About Reality 211 5.5 The Age of the People in the Scheme of Things 216 5.6 The Level of Aesthetic Appreciation of a People 219 5.7 The Resolve to Belong to a Civilized Society 222 5.8 The Level of Education and Civilization of a People 225 3 5.9 The Practical (Existential) Experience of a People 229 5.10 The Universalizability Problematic in Nigeria 233 5.11 African Perception of or Belief about Things Generally 238 5.12 “Negative Humanism” as Roadblock to Moral Universalizability 242 5.13 Some Sharp Practices that Stunt Moral Development 245 5.14 Achieving Breakthrough in the Quest for New Moral Order 249 5.15 Within the Realms of Application 252 CONCLUSION, RECOMMENDATIONS AND CONTRIBUTIONS TO KNOWLEDGE Conclusion 259 Recommendations 260 Contributions to Knowledge 265 Bibliographic References 266 DEDICATION To all who strive to do what is right simply because it is right. To all who uphold what is right even when they are ridiculed. 4 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The success of this programme is attributed to contributions, encouragements and challenges by many people so numerous to mention. However, some persons are outstanding because their contributions are primary, direct and critical to this success story. They are the supervisors of this thesis: Profs. Godwin Ehi Azenabor and Jim Ijenwa Unah. These accomplished academics provided the necessary and needed supervision and shaped the course of this research. I am also very grateful to all my lecturers in the Department of Philosophy, both in Lagos State University and University of Lagos through whose lectures, philosophic works, and mentoring in various ways sustained my interest in philosophy and nurtured it from infancy to maturity. I also acknowledge the contributions to my intellectual development made by Profs. Joseph Omoregbe, Kolawole Ogundowole, Friday Ndubuisi, Muyiwa Falaiye, Segun Ogungbemi, Maduabuchi Dukor; Drs. Benjamin Okoro, Elizabeth Kehinde, Douglas Anele, 5 Karo Ogbinaka, Chigbo Ekwealo, Chris Osegenwune, Jolly Ogunkoya, David Aworawo, Chigozie Nnabuihe and Wale Olajide. I owe a great debt of appreciation also to my contemporaries and colleagues who constantly reminded me of the task ahead and encouraged me not to give up. They include Philomena Aku Ojomo, Toluwalase Ajayi, and Moses Debo Gbadebo. Appreciation also goes to Abel Ayodele, Jacobson Osho and Maxwell Onochie of Crawford University for their immense support. I am also grateful to Ms. Goodluck Ezinna Nnabuihe who took patience beyond what is normal to typeset the manuscripts right from the draft stages. I will always call to mind the support from my wife Sarah Glory Nne-Odo and the children: „Mother‟ Teresa Ogonnia and Christiana Amarachi. They gave the emotional support and the challenge that constantly reminded me of the need to finish the programme. Onyekwere, Bartholomew Agunnia. ABSTRACT This thesis is a critical and analytical study of Immanuel Kant‟s moral philosophy. Kant‟s moral philosophy is grounded on human pure reason and erected on the notion of duty, hence deontological. Kant is of the view that there is the moral law operating in man the reason why man must not shirk his moral responsibility. For Kant there is no room for moral anarchy and moral phobia for any rational being since human beings have moral nature. He concludes that man is condemned to be moral and that morality should be universalizable such that it applies to all with equal force. The thesis finds Kant‟s moral arguments plausible and takes the position that Kant‟s moral philosophy can be applied to man‟s present environment. It notes that the moral problem of Kant‟s time is similar to the contemporary moral problem. For example, presently, as it was in his time, morality 6 has been corrupted and in some cases applied confusedly. The result is the prevalence of moral outlook such as moral nihilism, moral relativism, moral personalism, moral individualism, moral situationism, moral scepticism and amoralism. The implication of these approaches to morality is that society is always exposed to turbulence, disharmony, anarchy, instability and is steadily on the brink of precipice. There arises then the need for agreement on morality if man must remain in the face of the earth in peace and also continue to live in his only home, the earth. The thesis establishes the fact that man is in need of morality, is capable of moral actions and also benefits from being moral. The task before him is to rekindle his moral nature and accept the imperative of morality. This is a contract he entered into with himself and other rational beings with whom he forms the moral kingdom of ends. The thesis argues that humanity is in need of a new moral order. The new moral order will be founded on the stable of moral universalism wherein uniform moral norms will hold for all rational beings irrespective of circumstances of birth, race, status, creed, religion, and geographical location. There is one and only one moral community for every rational being. Also the circumstance one finds him or herself is not different from those of the others in similar condition. This calls for moral regeneration and ethical reorientation for every rational being. The thesis concludes that the much desired new moral order will be supported by moral training, moral education and a social system that is supportive of morality. This is to provide the needed atmosphere on which morality thrives and is sustained for the good of man and society. 7 INTRODUCTION The study is on moral philosophy. Moral philosophy or ethics is the branch of philosophy that studies the person and personal deeds from the point of view of the rightness or wrongness, the goodness or evilness of the person and the deeds. Moral philosophy, also called moral theory, grows out of life-situations in which we are confronted with some sort of perplexity or doubt about what is the right thing to do or the best course to follow; situations in which incompatible courses of action seem to be justifiable. Such conflict situations call forth personal inquiry into the reason(s) for deciding where the right really lies. This is the domain of moral philosophy; the domain of human intelligence reflecting in the face of moral conflict and doubt. Our interest in moral philosophy is premised on the conviction that morality – the observance of objective moral canon, rules, values, 8 tenets, precepts and norms - is a strong factor in the survival of human species, human society, and social institutions. This conviction has been confirmed by human experience hence our resolve to study it philosophically. Morality has always been the quality quest and rational demand of all ages and races. However, there exists disagreement of what constitutes its foundation hence the existence also of different moral systems. The challenge is how to reconcile the different systems. This challenge demands rational inquiry. The importance of moral philosophy lies in its force to direct man‟s moral reflection. Reflective morality emerges when a person attempts to find general principles by which to direct and to justify personal behaviour. Right and wrong, good and evil, are not only characteristics of the deed done but of the doer who commits self personally to the deed.
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