Kant's theory of morality has been criticized by some as formalistic and rigoristic since Hegel, and various attempts have been made as a rejoinder. Some Kantians take these objections seriously, because as Barbara Herman puts it, "part of the task of the moral theory is to explicate the conception of rationality necessary for morality to have content." 1 A moral theory has to be applicable to the concrete human situation in which action takes place. To attend to these empirical conditions, how…
Read moreKant's theory of morality has been criticized by some as formalistic and rigoristic since Hegel, and various attempts have been made as a rejoinder. Some Kantians take these objections seriously, because as Barbara Herman puts it, "part of the task of the moral theory is to explicate the conception of rationality necessary for morality to have content." 1 A moral theory has to be applicable to the concrete human situation in which action takes place. To attend to these empirical conditions, however, has been perceived by other Kantians as a threat to the universal validity of Kant's moral philosophy. This position; too, has credibility and perhaps that stems from Kant's claim that anthropology can serve neither as the origin of the moral law nor as the justification for its validity. Nonetheless, a law that is valid, but inapplicable is not relevant to human beings.
