Q&A: Character Refinement and the Categorical Imperative
Character Refinement and the Categorical Imperative
Question
In the lecture that ended a few minutes ago (Dogmatics, lesson 31), you brought Rabbi Chaim Vital’s question about why there is no commandment to refine one’s character traits, etc.
I wanted to ask: in The First Existent you explain that Kant’s categorical imperative speaks about morality for the sake of personal self-perfection, which ultimately leads the world to become better, but that is not the purpose of the categorical imperative.
Is the demand for character refinement (in this case, the one brought by Rabbi Chaim Vital) parallel to the categorical imperative, or does it add to it?
That is, as I understand it, if someone understands what is moral and does it without any inner identification with it (with corrupt character traits), then he is ostensibly “perfecting himself” according to the categorical imperative, but since his character traits are corrupt, he is not progressing in “character refinement.”
Am I right?
Answer
If you’re asking what Kant meant, I can only guess. But my view is that this is exactly what Kant’s categorical imperative means. Kant himself holds that the moral act is not meant to achieve some further goal, but rather to create a more complete person. The way to do that is by performing acts that make the world better. Still, one can ask whether the acts alone are enough for that, or whether inner identification is also needed (character refinement). In my opinion, that is at least part of the meaning of the perfection being discussed.
Discussion on Answer
In my opinion, no. The moral duty is about doing something complete and being complete.
(I’m guessing what the next question will be) ):
If the motivation is self-perfection, then this isn’t morality; it’s self-worship.
Not at all. It’s not for the sake of my own interest, but for the sake of a value that is God’s will. He wants me to perfect myself. In other words: it is for Him and not for me. I am the object of the work, but it is not being done for my sake.
How did you reach the conclusion that God wants you to perfect yourself and that this is part of the definition of the command, rather than, say, a personal goal of His (assuming we have any understanding of His goals at all)?
The same intuition that leads me to think He wants me to be moral also tells me that there is value in refined character traits.
“Not meant to achieve some further goal, but rather to create a more complete person.” Isn’t creating a more complete person another goal besides the moral duty itself?