Morality in Transition: Reassessing Ethics Beyond Kant

This paper, entitled “Morality in Transition: Reassessing Ethics Beyond Kant,” re-examines the trajectory of moral philosophy in the post-Kantian era, highlighting the enduring influence and transformation of Kant’s ethical framework. Kant’s moral philosophy, grounded in reason, duty, and the categorical imperative, revolutionised the evaluation of moral action by prioritizing intention over consequence. His universal, duty-based ethics not only reshaped the foundations of morality but also inspired subsequent philosophical developments. This study explores how three key thinkers—Hegel, Heidegger, and Habermas—engaged with, revised, or extended Kant’s ideas. Across these perspectives, a consistent theme emerges, which reveals that morality is both self-formative and indispensable, whether conceived in abstract or concrete terms. This analysis actively demonstrates that Kant’s legacy remains central to modern debates, as post-Kantian philosophy continues to draw upon, critique, and reformulate his moral vision for contemporary ethical and socio-political contexts.