Building a stable ‘abode of thought’: Kant’s rules for virtuous thinking

Building a Stable 'Abode of Thought': Kant's Rules for Virtuous Thinking

Kant's 3 rules can offer a helpful check as to whether we are not only living well but thinking well.

What makes a life virtuous? The answer might seem simple: virtuous actions – actions that align with morality. We observe and spectate; meditate and contemplate. Life often unfolds in our heads.

As a philosopher specializing in Immanuel Kant, I find it fascinating that he believed people can think virtuously, and should. In his 1790 book, "Critique of the Power of Judgment," Kant identified three simple rules for virtuous thinking:

Think for yourself.
Think in the position of everyone else.
Think in harmony with yourself.

If followed, he thought a "sensus communis," or "communal sense," could result, improving mutual understanding by helping people appreciate how their ideas relate to others' ideas.

Author's summary: Kant's rules for virtuous thinking promote mutual understanding.

Religion News Service — 2025-10-30

Building a Stable 'Abode of Thought': Kant's Rules for Virtuous Thinking

More News