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Chellebelle
05-26-2006, 09:26 AM
I hope someone can help. I have to write a one page paper answering the question, What does Kant mean by "absolute worth"? I have spent all day yesterday and so far this morning trying to understand what absolute worth is. Is absolute worth the highest level of worth an individual can achieve?? Am I way off base? Is there anyone that can put it into laymans terms for me before I pull my hair out????
Thanks for any help you can provide...
Chelle :confused:

Shakira
05-26-2006, 09:39 AM
Kant is supposing the existence of something that has absolute worth. The contrast might be with things with relative worth. So understood things with absolute value would be ends in themselves. Kant, however, might mean more than this. Kant might be supposing the existence of something with dignity, a value that cannot be measured against the value of anything else. Kant contrasts dignity with price. An end with only relative worth, or price, can be measured against the value of something else and may be sacrificed to obtain something else of equivalent or greater worth.

If u want more info on this then refer to :

http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/kant-moral/

All the Best

mono
05-26-2006, 10:46 PM
Hello, Chellebelle, welcome to the forum. :)
Yes, Immanuel Kant can seem very difficult to understand; most of his books I have had to read very slowly, and how much I even understood seems debatable.
Shakira explained the concept beautifully, and the link provided has a lot of good information. I also want to add, however, as Kant wrote in Groundwork For The Metaphysic Of Morals, absolute worth may also attribute itself to the aim of someone's intention, living life to his/her ability and talent, allowing none of it to waste. Unlike John Stuart Mill's and Jeremy Bentham's concept on utilitarianism, which focused much more on the end result of an action, Immanuel Kant placed much more emphasis on one's intention and aim.
The concept of 'absolute worth' seems stretched in multiple ways, and one can interpret what Kant meant in also several ways. 'Absolute' literally means absolute - something confident, a priori, and not debatable; otherwise, its opposites may reduce its value, as in 'relative worth.'

Charles Darnay
05-27-2006, 12:33 AM
I once came up with a saying while writing a short story in which Kant was a character and his philosohpies were presented:

"In order to fully understand Kant, you have to be a wooden chair. Are you a wooden chair?"

However, the two above did do a good job at defining absolute worth - I don't think I have much more to add

cuppajoe_9
05-28-2006, 12:18 AM
Kant you?

Me, I can't understand poetry unless it rimes. Especially Colleridge.

kjt1981
06-01-2006, 02:22 PM
I always took it to mean that an individual achieves "absolute worth" when he or she is exactly where they should be, doing exactly what they should be doing. If you see what i mean.... Its the place where an individual is spiritually and physically complete and at ease with him/herself and the world around.

i realise this is a little ambiguous, but..... y'know

'Course i might be wrong because ive read very little Kant.

mono
06-01-2006, 04:25 PM
I always took it to mean that an individual achieves "absolute worth" when he or she is exactly where they should be, doing exactly what they should be doing. If you see what i mean.... Its the place where an individual is spiritually and physically complete and at ease with him/herself and the world around.
In terms of what Immaneul Kant wrote in his ethical philosophy work, Groundwork For The Metaphysic Of Morals, yes, Kant wrote much of one attaining or 'living up to,' so to speak, an 'absolute worth.' He believed strongly in everyone realizing their full potential, and, even if one did not entirely attain his/her goal, he focused much stronger on the intention and aim of striving rather than the end product.

water lily
06-02-2006, 02:34 AM
I guess Mono's a wooden chair. :)

Chellebelle
06-21-2006, 08:51 AM
Thank you everyone for responding. It has helped me immensley. Sorry I did not respond sooner!!

Have a wonderful day!!!!!
Chelle :banana: