Tentative Response - Kant

2. What is the 'impartial observer' and how does that person differ from the person exploring sentiments?

Kant’s philosophy relies on the idea that people are sympathetic by nature and automatically picture themselves in another person’s situation. The impartial observer is the unbiased third-party viewing a situation. The level to which the impartial observer sympathizes with the person in the situation determines the validity of that sentiments felt by the person in the situation. The person experiencing the sentiments cares the most about their feelings, but must temper their sentiments so the impartial observer can sympathize with them – this can be thought of as the person’s societal propriety. Moral approbation, or the sympathy of the observer matching the sentiments of the person, is the goal. It is the easiest to sympathize with certain situations, ones that are relatable, like small joys or large grief. Morality and judgments arise from the sympathy of the impartial observer, and from this idea Kant defines conscience as the ability to view our own actions as impartial observers.