GEd 107 Module 3: Freedom as the Foundation for Moral Acts

Immanuel Kant's view of freedom

Equated directly with autonomy, which means the capacity to establish self-legislated moral laws grounded firmly on reason rather than baseline desires or impulses.

True freedom (Kantian framework)

Living in strict accordance with rules and principles that you deliberately impose on yourself through rational will.

Moral Agency Axiom

Autonomy means we function as our own moral agents—not bound or dictated by impulse, but consciously guided by reason.

Moral Act (Kantian philosophy)

A genuinely moral act is an action performed purely because it is the right thing to do, not out of a desire for an external reward or accolade.

Good Will

Defined as the only unconditionally good thing in existence.

Duty

Refers to doing the right thing solely because it is right, completely separate from personal gain or self-interest.

Perfect Duties

Absolute, non-negotiable obligations that must always be carried out by a rational being.

Imperfect Duties

Actions that are morally good and praiseworthy, but are not always strictly obligatory in every situation.

Categorical Imperative

An unconditional moral command dictating that you must follow a rule only if everyone else can rationally do the same without contradiction, treating people always as intrinsically important ends and never merely as tools.

Justice (Kantian context)

Explicitly respecting the rights of other human beings, ensuring people are free and are never forced or coerced into doing something unfair.

Fairness

Treating people equally, honestly, and with dignity.

Article VI, Section 28 of the 1987 Philippine Constitution

Mandates that "Taxation shall be uniform and equitable," requiring tax structures to be based on an individual's actual capacity to pay and ensuring equality of burden.