论康德定言命令式的可能性:质疑与挑战

On the Possibility of Kant’s Categorical Imperative:Questions and Challenges

康德的定言命令式表达出道德法则对有限理性存在者意志的无条件强制。康德在《道德形而上学奠基》中重点讨论这种定言命令式的可能性问题。有学者基于“自由—道德法则”的循环论证对康德的阐释提出质疑。通过《道德形而上学奠基》和《实践理性批判》的相关论述,康德分别以“跳出循环”和“消除循环”的方式回应这类质疑。然而,当将康德的定言命令式理论应用到现实道德问题时,也暴露出貌似难以克服的局限。这些局限才是康德义务论伦理学在当代理论视野中所真正面临的挑战。

Kant’s categorical imperative expresses the unconditional compulsion of moral law on the will of the limited rational beings.Kant focused on discussing the possibility of such categorical imperative in Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Morals.Some scholars questioned Kant’s interpretation based on the circle argument of“freedom-moral law”.Through the relevant arguments in Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Morals and Critique of Practical Reason,Kant responded to such questions by“jumping out of the cycle”and“eliminating the cycle”respectively.However,when Kant’s categorical imperative theory is applied to practical moral problems,the seemingly insurmountable limitations are exposed as well.These limitations are the real challenges faced by Kant’s deontological ethics in the contemporary theoretical field of vision.