Abstract for the Kant in Asia International Conference

at Hong Kong Baptist University

20-23 May 2009

Vasil Gluchman, ¡§Kant and Virtuous Action: A Case of Humanity¡¨

Kant holds ¡¥it is one's duty to raise himself out of the crudity of his nature, out of his animality more and more to humanity, by which alone he is capable of setting himself ends'. His understanding humanity as virtue is then entirely anti-nature and anti-biological. Then, virtuous action is to save a strange man because we had to overcome more moral hindrances than in a case of near people. However, is strange man more human or rational being than the near person? We have special duties to near people which should be respected and fulfilled by our actions. I think that humanity as a moral value has to lead to the protection and development of all human lives. We can distinguish between humanity as a natural-biological quality and a pure moral quality. It is the same virtue in different forms.

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