Kant’s Racial Views and the Categorical Imperative

Authors: Chikwado Ejeh P*

DOI: 10.23880/phij-16000238

Volume 5, Issue 2

Abstract

This paper offers a critical reassessment of Immanuel Kant’s anthropological writing and its effects on the Categorical Imperative. There are a number of reasons why this reassessment is crucial. First, it has been observed that Immanuel Kant’s anthropological writings which form the basis or foundation of his ethics contain some elements of racial discrimination or racism. That notwithstanding, some scholars argue that the racial views of Kant do not affect his ethical writings especially his Categorical imperative. This paper therefore, examines Kant’s racial views with a view to showing how they affect the principles of the categorical imperative. The paper however, is of the opinion that Kant’s racial views indeed affect his ethics – the categorical imperative. For this reason, the paper concludes that Kant’s categorical imperative which he claims is a universal moral principle is after all, not so.

Keywords: Race; Categorical; Imperative; Anthropology

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