Kant on women and morality

Ano: 2010 | Volume: 5 | Número: 3

Autores: M. de L. Borges

Palavras-chave: Kant, women, morality, beautiful.

Resumo Inglês:

Kant has often been criticized for holding a very negative vision of women, according to which theyare less rational and less morally valuable than men. I shall argue quite the opposite. I will show that, in spite ofsome minor pejorative comments, Kant held that women fit better the ideal of a moral person than men. This isdue to some qualities of the female sex, mainly women’s capacity for self–control and the capacity for havingmoral emotions such as sympathy and compassion. Moreover, women show their master of emotions andpassions when they are able to use their emotional sensitivity and self-control to master the feelings and passionsof men.