Final answer:
Reason implies the ability to rationalize decisions or actions using logic and evidence. It is fundamental in moral theory to create a framework for determining morality that can be applied universally, as advocated by philosophers like Kant.
Step-by-step explanation:
The very word reason implies the ability to give reasons for a decision or an action. When we speak of reason, especially in the context of ethical theories, we are referring to a methodical way of thinking that relies on evidence and logic to form conclusions. The Enlightenment era highlighted the use of reason as a way to establish moral principles that were independent of religious dogma or divine commandments. Philosophers like Immanuel Kant emphasized that moral judgments should be made a priori, using rational thought to determine what is right or wrong universally.
Throughout history, reason has been esteemed as a tool to attain knowledge and guide moral behavior. It is the faculty that allows us to engage with abstract concepts and avoid being misled by our immediate sensory experiences, aligning with Plato's view that knowledge comes through reasoning beyond the concrete objects perceived by the senses.
In moral theory, Kant's idea of perfect duties points to actions we are obliged to perform consistently, formulated through the categorical imperative, which states that our actions are moral if they can be applied as a universal law. Therefore, the capacity for reason enables us not only to rationalize our behaviors but to discern by the use of logic and evidence the moral laws that should govern our actions.