Human as the infinite end: Elaborating on the theoretical and practical end in itself formula and the consequential interpretation of David Cummiskey

Human is an end in itself; this is Kant’s second formulation of categorical imperative, which has proved to be the most practical one for him. What is meant by "end in itself" as opposed to being "merely as a means"? How can we apply this formula in practice? What is the relationship between this formula, which appears to be teleological, and consequentialism and utilitarianism in ethics? These three basic questions form the focus of the present paper. However, our emphasis is on the third one. First, we will briefly explicate the second formula. Then, we will discuss the application of this formula as well as the negative and positive judgments drawn from it. Finally, we will refer to an interpretation by David Cummiskey who argues that a normative consequential moral system can be deduced from this formula. This interpretation will be meticulously examined.