Assess whether or not Kantian ethics provides a helpful method of moral decision making

Question 1

critique of too reliant on reason

Answer 1

reason better than feelings love or compassion as cloud judgement
Kant’s example of beggar- give to street beggar one day bc generous but next ignore another beggar
if give bc it’s our duty, then we will give to beggars everyday regardless of how we’re feeling

Question 2

reliance on reason

Answer 2

-too reliant on reason- reason’s not the way humans behave
-visit sick grandmother in hospital bc I love her; would be very uncaring and cold to visit her simply bc I reasoned it should be done

Question 3

response to Kant’s argument that not tie reliant on reason

Answer 3

-consequences dismissed as irrelevant
-need to consider if anyone will be hurt by actions
-if we decide speeding wrong and fail to rush a dying man to hospital surely, we must feel guilty

Question 4

Paragraph 2- too abstract

Answer 4

-argues universe must be fair as we have sense of ought
-but evolutionary reasons for sense of fairness (humans survive in groups)
-doesn’t necessarily point to afterlife and a God.
-if universe not fair, then not necessarily a summum bonum
-member of resistance chooses not to smother crying baby so whereabouts revealed of refugees who all consequently murdered
-For Kant acceptable and will work out bc universe fair but non-believers say unnecessary slaughter

Question 5

criticism of KE as too abstract:

Answer 5

-better than consequences as hard to predict and outcome can be bad even with good intention
-KE- know you’ve done what reason says is right regardless of consequences.

Question 6

response to KE arguing not too abstract

Answer 6

principle of law doesn’t show us moral duties as non-moral maxims can be universalised. i.e. ‘everyone should sing the national anthem every Monday morning’, not a moral duty but can be universalised.

Question 7

Paragraph 3- duty

Answer 7

-can’t base ethical judgements on duty
-no guidance for when clash
-if I’m hiding Jewish children can you lie to the Nazi soldier in order to keep promise to parents that I will protect them? Can’t universalise breaking a promise nor lying, Kant gives no guidance on deciding between conflicting duties.

Question 8

criticism of argument against duty

Answer 8

-duty useful as our ideas and inclinations are subject to change as led by emotion. Also less prone to bias if duty our key principle

Question 9

response to defence of duty

Answer 9

concept of ought and duty relies on summum bonum’s existence as need a reason for us committing our dutiful actions- we are contributing to greater good. Bringing in God undermines Kant’s claims his ethical system is independent of religion and that moral duties can be deduced by anyone regardless of belief.