Volume 21, Issue 83 (3-2022)
refahj 2022, 21(83): 261-305 |
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Mahini F. (2022). Components of Social Welfare based on the Implications of Moral and Social Education of the Concept of "must" from Kant’s opinion. refahj. 21(83), : 7
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Introduction: Moral and social education is the basis of good life and social welfare. Social welfare is a concept that is created from the combination of community and having a good life, and it is more concerned with happiness and satisfaction and emphasizes the positive concepts of welfare. This concept includes the individual’s internal responses, namely feeling, perception, and action. (Huppert, 2006) Kant seeks the ultimate destination and human progress in ideas, such as civil society and its means of realization, and lists three principles as the theoretical foundations of such a society:
- Every member of society as a human being has the right to freedom
-Each member of the community as a function is equal to other members
-Each member of the Commonwealth of Independent States as a citizen is independent of the other
Moral education nurtures a free man; the upbringing of a free man and the guidance of the individual towards self-determination, which is the highest level of moral education, depends on the formation of character. (Kant, 1984) Another goal of moral education that has a social dimension is to do duty for oneself and others. The most important duty towards oneself is to be aware of one’s human dignity and to maintain moral dignity as a free being. (Kant, 2004 b). Duty to others includes respecting and respecting the rights of others. Given that the purpose of social education and moral education is the welfare of individuals in society through the development of internal values and the prevention of distortions and includes the do’s and don’ts, recognizing the objectivity of the must and understanding how to oblige oneself, it is necessary to observe the requirements, how they can be identified, and in principle, it is necessary to adhere to the values and perform the tasks properly. The results of Wood’s (2013) study showed that Kant’s ethics is more of a struggle between man’s capacity for intellectual autonomy and his bad desire for antisocial socialism, which manifests itself in the remarkable power of emotions. Tavakol and Morshedi (2014) explained that in a moral society where a rational idea and the human species are always obliged to move towards it, human beings only follow the laws that come from their own intellect and will. So, the purpose of this research was to explain the concept of must and to extract the components affecting the moral and social education of individuals based on it from Kant’s view and to reach the components of social welfare: What components does Kant provide for social welfare?
Method: The theoretical research and qualitative data collection was performed using two approaches of linguistic and inferential analysis. First, the concept has to be analyzed from three aspects: Semantics, Ontology, and Epistemology. After determining the goals of moral education and social education, by using a practical analogy, the relationship between moral education and social education should have been inferred. The results of the analogies provided the components influencing the practical behavior of the individual. Then, in accordance with each behavioral component, the implications of moral and social education in terms of purpose and role of the individual in education were determined. Finally, by applying practical analogy, each of the educational implications in combination with the three principles of social welfare from Kant’s view, namely freedom, equality, and independence, presented components for social welfare. Necessary information was collected, recorded, and categorized through transcribed and digital sources. The method of data analysis was thematic coding using deductive categorization system.
Findings: A realistic statement about the moral “must”: “The must indicate a necessary relationship between a law and an action.”
The proposition of the connection between “duty” and “must”: “Must, arises from duty according to the Absolute.”
Regarding the ratio of “must” and “obligation”: “The actor must perform an obligatory action by the order of reason”.
The statement concerning the relationship of “must” and “value”: “The good will, as the highest value, is the source of the must.”
Theoretical analogy of categories related to the relationship of must and reality: moral laws and instructions (musts) are practical necessities; the practical necessities are real; therefore: musts are real or “musts have objective reality”.
The proposition concerning the relationship between must and theology: moral perfection derives from the moral laws (musts); moral perfection is religion (theology); religion is derived from moral laws. Therefore: “Religion confirms moral duties (musts).”
The proposition concerning the means of discernment must be from Kant’s point of view: moral laws and precepts are real; wisdom is the discoverer of facts; Wisdom is the discoverer of moral precepts. Thus, “reason is the discoverer of moral commands (musts).”
Six practical analogies consist of combining goals with realistic propositions, and the result of each analogy guides a practical approach:
- Must be required to obey the law;
- Must act according to the task;
- The commands of reason must be followed;
- It must be done according to good will
- Objective facts must be understood; and
- Wisdom must be used.
The influential components on the practical conduct and moral and social education of the individual are: obedience to the law, acting according to duty, acting according to the order of reason, acting according to good will, understanding objective moral facts, recognizing the duties using reason.
According to Table 1, first the implications of moral and social education in terms of purpose, the role of the individual, and the role of educational educators are analyzed, and then the components of social welfare are extracted based on Kant’s civil principles.
Table 1- Implications of moral and social education in terms of purpose and role of the individual
Components of social welfare: autonomy, obedience, discipline and duty-bearing, rational knowledge of duties and following the rules to enjoy freedom, honesty, good fellowship and following values for equality and following principles and practice according to facts to have independence.
Discussion: Kant took the ultimate goal of education into consideration to be the formation of character and autonomy in the context of a civil society. A society that, with the support of theoretical wisdom and practical wisdom, leads to concepts such as peace and peaceful relationships of human beings with one another and the flourishing of hidden human abilities. That is why he considers the principles of freedom, equality, and independence arising from human reason to be the foundations of such a society. In an ideal society, the well-being of each individual can be expected to be natural and accessible. Social welfare that has been built by the people of that society and on the basis of wisdom before it, was built and paid for by governments. Characteristics of social welfare that are derived from the principles of moral and social education in accordance with the ideal society, such as honesty, good company, adherence to principles and values, acting according to facts and following the rules are educational and attainable items that can be institutionalized in individuals. Society needs proper planning in the education system.
Ethical considerations
Contribution of authors
The author of this article has been fully involved in all stages of writing the article.
Funds
This article has no sponsorship.
Conflict of interest
There is no conflict of interest in this article.
Principles of research ethics
In this article all rights related to research ethics are respected.
Introduction: Moral and social education is the basis of good life and social welfare. Social welfare is a concept that is created from the combination of community and having a good life, and it is more concerned with happiness and satisfaction and emphasizes the positive concepts of welfare. This concept includes the individual’s internal responses, namely feeling, perception, and action. (Huppert, 2006) Kant seeks the ultimate destination and human progress in ideas, such as civil society and its means of realization, and lists three principles as the theoretical foundations of such a society:
- Every member of society as a human being has the right to freedom
-Each member of the community as a function is equal to other members
-Each member of the Commonwealth of Independent States as a citizen is independent of the other
Moral education nurtures a free man; the upbringing of a free man and the guidance of the individual towards self-determination, which is the highest level of moral education, depends on the formation of character. (Kant, 1984) Another goal of moral education that has a social dimension is to do duty for oneself and others. The most important duty towards oneself is to be aware of one’s human dignity and to maintain moral dignity as a free being. (Kant, 2004 b). Duty to others includes respecting and respecting the rights of others. Given that the purpose of social education and moral education is the welfare of individuals in society through the development of internal values and the prevention of distortions and includes the do’s and don’ts, recognizing the objectivity of the must and understanding how to oblige oneself, it is necessary to observe the requirements, how they can be identified, and in principle, it is necessary to adhere to the values and perform the tasks properly. The results of Wood’s (2013) study showed that Kant’s ethics is more of a struggle between man’s capacity for intellectual autonomy and his bad desire for antisocial socialism, which manifests itself in the remarkable power of emotions. Tavakol and Morshedi (2014) explained that in a moral society where a rational idea and the human species are always obliged to move towards it, human beings only follow the laws that come from their own intellect and will. So, the purpose of this research was to explain the concept of must and to extract the components affecting the moral and social education of individuals based on it from Kant’s view and to reach the components of social welfare: What components does Kant provide for social welfare?
Method: The theoretical research and qualitative data collection was performed using two approaches of linguistic and inferential analysis. First, the concept has to be analyzed from three aspects: Semantics, Ontology, and Epistemology. After determining the goals of moral education and social education, by using a practical analogy, the relationship between moral education and social education should have been inferred. The results of the analogies provided the components influencing the practical behavior of the individual. Then, in accordance with each behavioral component, the implications of moral and social education in terms of purpose and role of the individual in education were determined. Finally, by applying practical analogy, each of the educational implications in combination with the three principles of social welfare from Kant’s view, namely freedom, equality, and independence, presented components for social welfare. Necessary information was collected, recorded, and categorized through transcribed and digital sources. The method of data analysis was thematic coding using deductive categorization system.
Findings: A realistic statement about the moral “must”: “The must indicate a necessary relationship between a law and an action.”
The proposition of the connection between “duty” and “must”: “Must, arises from duty according to the Absolute.”
Regarding the ratio of “must” and “obligation”: “The actor must perform an obligatory action by the order of reason”.
The statement concerning the relationship of “must” and “value”: “The good will, as the highest value, is the source of the must.”
Theoretical analogy of categories related to the relationship of must and reality: moral laws and instructions (musts) are practical necessities; the practical necessities are real; therefore: musts are real or “musts have objective reality”.
The proposition concerning the relationship between must and theology: moral perfection derives from the moral laws (musts); moral perfection is religion (theology); religion is derived from moral laws. Therefore: “Religion confirms moral duties (musts).”
The proposition concerning the means of discernment must be from Kant’s point of view: moral laws and precepts are real; wisdom is the discoverer of facts; Wisdom is the discoverer of moral precepts. Thus, “reason is the discoverer of moral commands (musts).”
Six practical analogies consist of combining goals with realistic propositions, and the result of each analogy guides a practical approach:
- Must be required to obey the law;
- Must act according to the task;
- The commands of reason must be followed;
- It must be done according to good will
- Objective facts must be understood; and
- Wisdom must be used.
The influential components on the practical conduct and moral and social education of the individual are: obedience to the law, acting according to duty, acting according to the order of reason, acting according to good will, understanding objective moral facts, recognizing the duties using reason.
According to Table 1, first the implications of moral and social education in terms of purpose, the role of the individual, and the role of educational educators are analyzed, and then the components of social welfare are extracted based on Kant’s civil principles.
Table 1- Implications of moral and social education in terms of purpose and role of the individual
| Components influencing the practical behavior of the individual | Implications of moral and social education | |
| According to purpose | According to individual role | |
| Act according to the order of the autonomous intellect | Self-rules | Following the rational principles |
| Acting based on Values | Honesty | Understanding values and following them |
| Act according to the duties | Obedience | Obedience to discipline and act according to the duties |
| Understanding the objective facts | Good socializing | Understanding the facts and acting on them |
| Recognizing the must with the help of practical intellect | Obedience, honesty, good company | Using intellect in recognizing tasks |
| Act according to the law | Obedience | Following the rules |
Components of social welfare: autonomy, obedience, discipline and duty-bearing, rational knowledge of duties and following the rules to enjoy freedom, honesty, good fellowship and following values for equality and following principles and practice according to facts to have independence.
Discussion: Kant took the ultimate goal of education into consideration to be the formation of character and autonomy in the context of a civil society. A society that, with the support of theoretical wisdom and practical wisdom, leads to concepts such as peace and peaceful relationships of human beings with one another and the flourishing of hidden human abilities. That is why he considers the principles of freedom, equality, and independence arising from human reason to be the foundations of such a society. In an ideal society, the well-being of each individual can be expected to be natural and accessible. Social welfare that has been built by the people of that society and on the basis of wisdom before it, was built and paid for by governments. Characteristics of social welfare that are derived from the principles of moral and social education in accordance with the ideal society, such as honesty, good company, adherence to principles and values, acting according to facts and following the rules are educational and attainable items that can be institutionalized in individuals. Society needs proper planning in the education system.
Ethical considerations
Contribution of authors
The author of this article has been fully involved in all stages of writing the article.
Funds
This article has no sponsorship.
Conflict of interest
There is no conflict of interest in this article.
Principles of research ethics
In this article all rights related to research ethics are respected.
Type of Study: orginal |
Received: 2020/09/7 | Accepted: 2021/08/24 | Published: 2022/03/16
Received: 2020/09/7 | Accepted: 2021/08/24 | Published: 2022/03/16
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Social Welfare Quarterly
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