MORAL PH1LOSOPH Y. 763 
[As under the article Metaphysics we completed the theoretical part of the Science of Transcendental 
Philosophy; we have now the fatisfaCtion of prefenting, in this article, fome of its practical principles; and hope 
hereafter to lay before our readers additional and important matter on this very intereiting iubjeCt. Whatever may 
contribute to perfect the Philofophy of Mind we lhall always be anxious to prel'ent to the public through the mediiim 
of our work.] 
MORAL PHILOSOPHY 
Reduced to a Complete and Permanent SCIENCE, 
On the Principles of TRANSCENDENTAL PHILOSOPHY 
As contained in Kant’s “ Critic of Practical Reason.” 
Moral or Practical Philosophy is the Science of 
the laws of Liberty ; i. e. the laws of the Freedom of the 
Will, arifing from its Autonomy ; in contradiftlnclion 
to the Heteronomy of the Will, as the fource of all 
fpurious principles of Morality. 
Upon the Autonomy of the Will Morality is founded : 
When the Will determines itfelf to action, the motive is 
pure ; that is, dictated by reafon itfelf; and the aCtion is 
performed from Duty. 
The Heteronomy of the Will gives birth to Immo¬ 
rality : When we are determined to aCtion by our 
inftinCls and inclinations, the motive is impure. 
All Moral aCtions arife from the Categorical Im¬ 
perative. 
All Immoral aClions arife from Hypothetical Im¬ 
peratives; of which there are two kinds; thofe of 
AddreJ's , and thofe of Prudence. 
INTRODUCTION. 
Every Man acknowledges the Moral Law. This 
is a faCt; for he who denies the exiftence of this law, not 
only relinquiflies all claim to the title of a rational being ; 
but is no longer confidered as a fit member of lociety, or 
one with whom it would be fafe to have any intercourfe. 
The Civil Law indeed provides a fanCluary for him, to 
prevent his being guilty of crimes, which, through an 
.unfortunate defeCt in his own reafon, he is unconfcious 
are fuch. The hillory of mankind throughout evinces 
this faCt; and a more minute inveftigation of the human 
heart discovers to us that the bafeft villain, when, in the 
calm of ferious reflection, he compares himfelf with the 
purity of the Moral Law, experiences a painful and 
humiliating feeling, which renders him odious to him¬ 
felf, however it may be flifled by further excefles. 
What is it that takes place in the mind of the indi¬ 
vidual during this felf-examination ? A conviction that 
certain aCtions are conformable to the Moral Law, and 
are Right and Good; while others direCtly contradict this 
Law, and are Wrong and Bad. But here we mult remark, 
that man has a two-fold nature; that is, that he pofl'efies 
an animal or Senfible nature, and a rational or Svper- 
Jenfible one. According to the former, all his inftinCts 
and defires may be conlidered as conditional; that is, he 
only defires fomething for the fake of fomething elfe : He 
defires moderation to promote his health ; indeed all his 
defires are directed to the completion of his happinefs. 
All the defires and aCtions of man as a fenfible being are 
directed to this one great objeCt, for the attainment of 
which, he calls to his aid all his faculties, even that of 
Reafon itfelf, which is thus required to enter into the 
fervitude of Senfe. This principle of our nature is Self 
Love. The aCtions prompted by it are ftriCtly inlerefted; 
they are fuch as are commonly termed uj'eful; that is, they 
ferve to the furtherance of l'ome other purpofe; and this 
clearly accounts for the incefi'ant enquiry after utility. 
This arifes from the Heteronomy of the Will, which 
can never be the ground of a Moral aCtion. It may 
produce aCtions that do not offend againft Morality, but 
it never can be the caufe of aCtions ftriCtly moral, for 
thefe mult be dijhiterejhd. Hence it is evident, that the 
whole bent and force of our animal or fenfible nature is 
nothing more than to produce the greatefi fum of ani¬ 
mal enjoyment, or happiness, on the principle of Self- 
Love. 
But there is another principle in our nature which is 
difinterejled; and hence arifes an oppofite fet of defires 
and aCtions. This principle is Practical Reason, 
which is not influenced by any other power, but aCts of 
itfelf, and gives laws to itlelf. This may properly be 
termed the Autonomy of the Will. Hence arifes 
Morality, that is, the poliibility of performing aCtions 
from dijivterefted motives, and independently of every in- 
flinCt and delire of our animal nature; nay, often to its 
detriment. It is this fublime quality of our Superior or 
Rational nature that feparates us from all other created 
beings; nay, even from ourfelves; diltinguifhing between 
our two natures and their correfponding defires. It is 
from this principle alone that we can be virtuous; that is, 
perform aCtions which accord with Reafon, or are good 
without regard to any other end to be obtained by them. 
Thefe aCtions are unconditional; that is, good in themfelves; 
and are to be performed merely becaule they are com¬ 
manded by Reafon. It is quite evident that we are not 
content with barely fearching after happinefs, or even 
pofl’efiing it, but can never relinquiih the defire of being 
morally good or virtuous. 
In a former part of this work, under the article Kant, 
(Vol. xi. p. 621.) this divifion of our nature into Rational 
and Senfble is not onlyfcientifically treated, but the ex¬ 
iftence of thele two natures is eftabliftied beyond all 
doubt. And, as it is of the higheit importance that this 
ihould be clearly underllood, the term Phenomenon is 
applied to man when confidered as a part of nature, and 
the term Noumenon when he is con tern plated as a mem¬ 
ber of the moral World : the Idea of which implies a 
fyftematic connexion of Rational beings under objective 
laws; that is, the laws of practical Reafon : confequently, 
each homo noumenon mud confider himfelf as legiflative 
in this Moral World, or Kingdom of Ends; and therefore 
bound to obey no laws but what he impofes on himfelf 
by virtue of his Practical Reafon. Herein coniiits the- 
Dignity of man, in his pofi'efling the Power to ellablifti a 
Code of Laws (the Moral Laws,) for his own govern¬ 
ment, which are not only out of the Iphere of Nature, but 
totally free from its influence. Here indeed man appears 
in a higher point of view, than when confidered merely 
as a part of Nature. What a proi'peCt does this afford of 
his ultimate deftination ! Whence but from this faculty 
can Man form to himfelf the Idea of immortality ! But, 
as this moral order can be preferved by nothing lei's 
than a fupreme power, the Idea of a Sovereign- in the 
Kingdom of Ends becomes neceiiary. This is indeed no 
other than the Idea which every individual forms by his 
own Reafon, and which he calls God ! 
Now, as men univerfally concur in the formation 
of a body of laws under the title of Moral Laws, it is 
evident 
