GOOD WILL AND DUTY IN THE GENESIS OF KANT’S MORAL FOUNDATION

Abstract

This study aims to examine the concepts of good will and duty exposed in the First Section Kant’s Groundwork of the Metaphysics f Morals. It starts with the Kantian thesis that the good will is good in itself, without being linked to any end. In other words, the good will is unconditionally good. In order to clarify the concept of a good will Kant introduces the concept of duty, which for finite rational beings, in this case humans, it presents as condition of a good will, that is, of an action unconditionally good. It is emphasized that moral actions only are those performed exclusively for duty, free of any kind of empirical limitation. About duty, seeks to clarify the three Kant’s propositions, highlighting the outstanding character of reason in moral action. In conclusion, it is argued that the concepts of good will and duty are prerequisites for the Kantian intent of a grounds of morality, enabling the formulation of the categorical imperative.