Linking Knowledge with Ethics: A Kantian Perspective

Abstract

The connection between knowledge and ethics has been a subject of philosophical inquiry for centuries. Immanuel Kant, one of the most influential philosophers in the modern history, attempted to reconcile two critical domains: the synthesis of knowledge and the foundation of morality. He offers a profound perspective that intertwines both domains. His critical philosophy, specifically within his Critique of Pure Reason and Critique of Practical Reason, established a framework wherein human knowledge and moral cognition converge. Kant posits that the synthesis of knowledge involves a combination of sensory experience (intuition) and rational concepts (categories). By the combination of these two we formed the empirical reality. Meanwhile, his moral philosophy is rooted in the autonomy of the will and the categorical imperative, offering a rational basis for moral action. This paper examines the connection between Kant’s epistemology and ethics, elucidating how the synthesis of knowledge shapes moral awareness provides the groundwork for moral laws.