Kant, Immanuel

Immanuel Kant was an 18th-century philosopher who profoundly shaped modern ethics and epistemology. He argued that human understanding is limited yet active, shaping how we perceive the world through structures called categories. Kant believed moral principles are based on reason and that actions are morally right when performed out of duty, according to universal maxims, rather than personal gain. His concept of the "Categorical Imperative" emphasizes acting in ways that could be consistently universalized. Overall, Kant's work emphasizes the importance of reason, moral duty, and the idea that humans have intrinsic worth and autonomy.