Immanuel Kant's Groundwork To The Metaphysic Of

Immanuel Kant’s Groundwork to the Metaphysic of Morals is pivotal to the study of Moral Philosophy. Using this text, this essay will examine whether there is a Kantian moral obligation to donate our organs i.e. kidneys, heart, lungs, etc. First and foremost, a brief and relevant summary of Kant’s discussion of obligation and morality will be provided as a foundation for the object of this essay’s examination. Furthermore, a distinction between two subsets of Kant’s theory on moral obligation (perfect and imperfect duty) will identified for the purpose of furthering this investigation. Lastly, this essay will analyze whether or not we have a Kantian duty to preserve our lives and the lives of others in order to ultimately determine whether we have a subsequent duty to donate our organs.

Throughout Groundwork, Kant explores the rationality behind morality and its

(This is an implication because donating inessential organs can save the lives of others). Furthermore, because organ donation is an imperfect duty, the extent to which we carry out this duty is within our rational discretion--thus avoiding the contradiction that would arise if otherwise a perfect duty. Hence, the duty to donate our organs do not necessarily obligate us to sacrifice ourselves to save another, because we also have a duty to self-preserve. That said, this investigation has identified that we have a duty to humanity and that duty commands benevolence to others. Though we have a moral obligation to preserve ourselves, we also have a moral duty to preserve the lives of others (for the reason that to preserve humanity and advance it, we must preserve life). Therefore, a maxim that states “I will donate my organ, if the absence of it allows me to continue my life, in order for this individual to live” is a Kantian