Education versus training: an already Kantian problem

Abstract

The paper starts from a brief commentary analysis of three Kantian passages that see the concepts of education (understood as education and cultivation of one's talents) and training (of the moral individual) contrasting, especially from the point of view of values ​​established by Kant. The existence of such a dichotomy is opposed, however, by the formulation, by Kant himself, of the duty to cultivate one's talents (duty of virtue already thematized in the Foundation of the metaphysics of morals). How does Kant motivate the inclusion of the culture of his own talents among moral duties? Finding an answer to this question means sewing, in the most solid way, the break between education and training outlined: according to Kant, not only one's talents must be cultivated despite the fact that it is possible to clearly separate them from the final purpose of creation with regard to man, but rather to all intents and purposes fall within the category of duties of virtue. The paper concludes with two kinds of reflections aimed at satisfying this request, referring to an explanatory passage from the Metaphysics of customs in this sense but above all by developing an interpretation of the relationship between education and morality according to Kant which involves his concepts of supreme good. and happiness.