MORAL EDUCATION ACCORDING TO KANT AND SOCIAL JUSTICE: PROTECTION OF PERSONALITY DEVELOPMENT AND HUMAN DIGNITY

Abstract

This article examines the foundations of moral education in the philosophy of Immanuel Kant and its importance for the construction of a just and dignified society. The research adopts the deductive method in a qualitative approach, based on bibliographic analysis and philosophical interpretation, to investigate the Kantian principles that support moral education, highlighting autonomy and reason as essential pillars for the formation of ethical character. This analysis leads to the examination of the national social right, to education, as a right of personality, protected by human dignity. The Kantian concept of human dignity is also analyzed, according to which each individual must be treated as an end in itself, confirming its intrinsic and inalienable value. This principle, central to Kantian ethics, prohibits the instrumentalization of people for the sake of individual or collective interests that compromise their dignity. In addition to the Kantian perspective, the study incorporates contributions from theorists such as Hannah Arendt and John Rawls, expanding the understanding of human dignity and its application in moral education. The analysis shows that the promotion of values ​​such as respect, empathy and active participation in public life is fundamental for social justice. It is concluded that moral education is an indispensable instrument for the formation of citizens who are aware of their rights and duties, and who are capable of contributing to the construction of an equitable, democratic society based on respect for human dignity.