Why did Fichte treat moral will as an important principle of reality?

Johann Gottlieb Fichte elevated the moral will to a central principle of reality because he sought to establish practical reason as the absolute foundation of all knowledge and human existence. Influenced by Immanuel Kant, Fichte aimed to move beyond Kant’s critical boundaries by demonstrating that the moral self is the primary metaphysical fact.12

Fichte’s reasoning for this elevation includes:

• The Ego as Absolute Subject: Fichte argued that the ego is an "unconditioned" reality that posits itself. Because the ego is the basis of all experience, it is free from the limitations of external causality.3
• Practical Reason as Root: He contended that practical (moral) reason is the root of all reason. By analyzing human self-consciousness, he believed one could reach the "Absolute," where the moral will acts as the activating principle of the world.21
• Unity of Being: Fichte defined God as the infinite moral will of the universe. Consequently, he viewed the moral law as the eternal foundation of all being, making the clarification of consciousness and the recognition of "Spirit" the highest tasks of philosophy.21

Ultimately, Fichte viewed philosophy as a "dignified" pursuit because it recognizes the moral will as the central, constitutive principle of reality.2