ABSTRACT
The present brief commentary to Englert’s recent article on Kant’s distinction between practical ideas and ideals extends the significance of its contribution by considering the psychological dimensions underpinned by those ethical concepts. According to regulatory focus theory, in the moral domain the prevention focus subsumes duties and obligations, whereas the promotion focus underlies aspirations toward virtue. I argue here that prevention motives induce the enactment of behaviours consistent with ethical rules corresponding to Kant’s practical idea, and that promotion motives inspire imitation processes aimed at advancement toward the archetypal excellence of Kant’s practical ideal. I conclude discussing the relevance and value, beyond Kant’s ethical conception, of a psychological analysis of the main Western normative theories through the lens of regulatory focus and the other motivational primitives.
Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).
Data availability statement
No data sharing applicable. This is a theoretical article with no direct involvement of human participants and no generation or analysis of primary data.
Notes
Englert, A. T. 2022. “How a Kantian Ideal Can Be Practical.” Inquiry, doi:10.1080/0020174X.2022.2075449. Kant, I. 1998. Critique of Pure Reason. 1st ed. 1781, 2nd ed. 1787, translated and edited by P. Guyer, and A. W. Wood. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Kant, I. 1998. Critique of Pure Reason. 1st ed. 1781, 2nd ed. 1787, translated and edited by P. Guyer, and A. W. Wood. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Bella, A. F. 2022. “Where Psychological Science Meets Moral Theory: Linking Up Motivational Primitives with Normative Ethics.” Theory and Psychology 32 (4): 590–612. doi:10.1177/09593543221100493. Higgins, E. T. 1997. “Beyond Pleasure and Pain.” American Psychologist 52 (12): 1280–1300. doi:10.1037/0003-066X.52.12.1280. Englert, A. T. 2022. “How a Kantian Ideal Can Be Practical.” Inquiry, doi:10.1080/0020174X.2022.2075449. Kant, I. 2012. Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Morals. Rev. ed. 1785, translated and edited by M. Gregor, and J. Timmermann. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Kant, I. 2012. Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Morals. Rev. ed. 1785, translated and edited by M. Gregor, and J. Timmermann. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Englert, A. T. 2022. “How a Kantian Ideal Can Be Practical.” Inquiry, doi:10.1080/0020174X.2022.2075449. Englert, A. T. 2022. “How a Kantian Ideal Can Be Practical.” Inquiry, doi:10.1080/0020174X.2022.2075449. Englert, A. T. 2022. “How a Kantian Ideal Can Be Practical.” Inquiry, doi:10.1080/0020174X.2022.2075449. Higgins, E. T. 1997. “Beyond Pleasure and Pain.” American Psychologist 52 (12): 1280–1300. doi:10.1037/0003-066X.52.12.1280. Idson, L. C., N. Liberman, and E. T. Higgins. 2000. “Distinguishing Gains from Nonlosses and Losses from Nongains: A Regulatory Focus Perspective on Hedonic Intensity.” Journal of Experimental Social Psychology 36 (3): 252–274. doi:10.1006/jesp.1999.1402. Molden, D. C., A. Y. Lee, and E. T. Higgins. 2008. “Motivations for Promotion and Prevention.” In Handbook of Motivation Science, edited by J. Y. Shah, and W. L. Gardner, 169–187. New York: Guilford Press. Higgins, E. T., and J. F. M. Cornwell. 2016. “Securing Foundations and Advancing Frontiers: Prevention and Promotion Effects on Judgment and Decision Making.” Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes 136: 56–67. doi:10.1016/j.obhdp.2016.04.005. Bella, A. F. 2022. “Where Psychological Science Meets Moral Theory: Linking Up Motivational Primitives with Normative Ethics.” Theory and Psychology 32 (4): 590–612. doi:10.1177/09593543221100493. Kant, I. 2012. Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Morals. Rev. ed. 1785, translated and edited by M. Gregor, and J. Timmermann. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Kant, I. 2012. Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Morals. Rev. ed. 1785, translated and edited by M. Gregor, and J. Timmermann. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Kant, I. 1998. Critique of Pure Reason. 1st ed. 1781, 2nd ed. 1787, translated and edited by P. Guyer, and A. W. Wood. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Kant, I. 1998. Critique of Pure Reason. 1st ed. 1781, 2nd ed. 1787, translated and edited by P. Guyer, and A. W. Wood. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Kant, I. 2015. Critique of Practical Reason. Rev. ed. 1788, translated and edited by M. Gregor. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Kant, I. 2015. Critique of Practical Reason. Rev. ed. 1788, translated and edited by M. Gregor. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Slote, M. 2001. Morals from Motives. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Bandura, A. 1969. “Social-learning Theory of Identificatory Processes.” In Handbook of Socialization Theory and Research, edited by D. A. Gosling, 213–262. Chicago: Rand McNally. Bella, A. F. 2022. “Where Psychological Science Meets Moral Theory: Linking Up Motivational Primitives with Normative Ethics.” Theory and Psychology 32 (4): 590–612. doi:10.1177/09593543221100493. Cornwell, J. F. M., and E. T. Higgins. 2015. “The “Ought” Premise of Moral Psychology and the Importance of the Ethical “Ideal”.” Review of General Psychology 19 (3): 311–328. doi:10.1037/gpr0000044. Bella, A. F. 2022. “Where Psychological Science Meets Moral Theory: Linking Up Motivational Primitives with Normative Ethics.” Theory and Psychology 32 (4): 590–612. doi:10.1177/09593543221100493. Bella, A. F. 2022. “Where Psychological Science Meets Moral Theory: Linking Up Motivational Primitives with Normative Ethics.” Theory and Psychology 32 (4): 590–612. doi:10.1177/09593543221100493. Cornwell, J. F. M., and E. T. Higgins. 2015. “The “Ought” Premise of Moral Psychology and the Importance of the Ethical “Ideal”.” Review of General Psychology 19 (3): 311–328. doi:10.1037/gpr0000044. Bella, A. F. 2022. “Where Psychological Science Meets Moral Theory: Linking Up Motivational Primitives with Normative Ethics.” Theory and Psychology 32 (4): 590–612. doi:10.1177/09593543221100493. Higgins, E. T. 1997. “Beyond Pleasure and Pain.” American Psychologist 52 (12): 1280–1300. doi:10.1037/0003-066X.52.12.1280. Higgins, E. T. 1997. “Beyond Pleasure and Pain.” American Psychologist 52 (12): 1280–1300. doi:10.1037/0003-066X.52.12.1280. Bella, A. F. 2022. “Where Psychological Science Meets Moral Theory: Linking Up Motivational Primitives with Normative Ethics.” Theory and Psychology 32 (4): 590–612. doi:10.1177/09593543221100493. Higgins, E. T. 2014. Beyond Pleasure and Pain: How Motivation Works. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Cornwell, J. F. M., and E. T. Higgins. 2015. “The “Ought” Premise of Moral Psychology and the Importance of the Ethical “Ideal”.” Review of General Psychology 19 (3): 311–328. doi:10.1037/gpr0000044. Cornwell, J. F. M., and E. T. Higgins. 2015. “The “Ought” Premise of Moral Psychology and the Importance of the Ethical “Ideal”.” Review of General Psychology 19 (3): 311–328. doi:10.1037/gpr0000044. Wood, N. 2020. Deontology, Consequentialism, and Virtue Ethics in the Contemporary Moral Landscape. Lanham, MD: Lexington Books. Bella, A. F. 2022. “Where Psychological Science Meets Moral Theory: Linking Up Motivational Primitives with Normative Ethics.” Theory and Psychology 32 (4): 590–612. doi:10.1177/09593543221100493. Slote, M. 2013. “Agent-based Virtue Ethics.” In Ethical Theory: An Anthology, edited by R. Shafer-Landau, 2nd ed., 653–663. Malden, MA: Wiley-Blackwell. Hursthouse, R. 1999. On Virtue Ethics. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Bella, A. F. 2022. “Where Psychological Science Meets Moral Theory: Linking Up Motivational Primitives with Normative Ethics.” Theory and Psychology 32 (4): 590–612. doi:10.1177/09593543221100493. Bella, A. F. 2022. “Where Psychological Science Meets Moral Theory: Linking Up Motivational Primitives with Normative Ethics.” Theory and Psychology 32 (4): 590–612. doi:10.1177/09593543221100493. Van Zyl, L. 2019. Virtue Ethics: A Contemporary Introduction. New York: Routledge. Bella, A. F. 2022. “Where Psychological Science Meets Moral Theory: Linking Up Motivational Primitives with Normative Ethics.” Theory and Psychology 32 (4): 590–612. doi:10.1177/09593543221100493. Additional information
Funding
No funding was received to assist with the preparation of this manuscript.
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1238-7591
![Sample our Humanities journals, sign in here to start your FREE access for 14 days]({"type":"image" , "src" : "/sda/5939/TOC-Subject-Sample-2021-Humanities.jpg"})
![Supercharge Your Next Research Paper: Research and write your next paper with Jenni AI.]({"type":"image" , "src" : "/sda/112444/Skyscraper-humanities.png"})