How does Kant’s categorical imperative apply to helping people in distress?

In Kantianism, the categorical imperative provides a framework for moral action that is independent of personal desires or sympathetic feelings. When considering whether to help someone in distress, Kant’s approach differs significantly from moral theories based on benevolence or the pursuit of happiness.12

Under the first formulation of the categorical imperative—acting only on maxims that one can will to be a universal law—Kant suggests that refusing to help those in distress is problematic. While there is no strict logical contradiction in a universal law that mandates refusing assistance, Kant argues that one cannot rationally will such a law because one might eventually be in distress oneself and would desire assistance from others. However, critics note that if an individual values self-sufficiency above all else, this principle may not strictly compel them to assist others.12

Alternatively, the second formulation requires that one treat humanity, in oneself and others, always as an end and never merely as a means. This perspective offers a more robust moral basis for helping others, as it emphasizes the inherent worth of every human being.132