Chapter 11: The Formalist: Immanuel Kant Flashcards
What is the difference between nonmoral (amoral) and immoral actions?
a. Immoral and moral actions are judged according to universal principles, whereas nonmoral (amoral) actions are judged relative to the persons doing the acts.
b. Immoral or moral actions are prescriptive, whereas nonmoral or amoral is descriptive.
c. Nonmoral (amoral) actions are those performed without conscious thought, whereas immoral actions are deliberate violations of moral principles.
d. Nonmoral (amoral) pertains to actions that have a neutral impact on others, whereas immoral actions directly harm others.
b. Immoral or moral actions are prescriptive, whereas nonmoral or amoral is descriptive.
How is Kantian idealism analogous to the Copernican revolution?
a. Kantian idealism and the Copernican revolution both shifted from a deterministic to an indeterministic view of the world.
b. Kantian idealism, like the Copernican revolution, changed previously held assumptions. Copernicus put the Sun at the center of the universe, and Kant put the actively structuring mind at the center of epistemic experience.
c. Kantian idealism is analogous to the Copernican revolution because both theories advocate for a heliocentric model.
d. Kantian idealism, like the Copernican revolution, suggests that the universe is centered around the observer.
b. Kantian idealism, like the Copernican revolution, changed previously held assumptions. Copernicus put the Sun at the center of the universe, and Kant put the actively structuring mind at the center of epistemic experience.
What was revolutionary about Kant’s idealism in regard to the disagreements between rationalists and empiricists in philosophy?
a. Kant’s idealism revolutionized the field by demonstrating that sensory experiences are illusions and only rational thought can lead to true knowledge.
b. Kant realized the incompleteness of both methods. Knowledge is an interaction between the mind of the knower and the object known.
c. Kant’s idealism was revolutionary because it argued decisively that only empirical knowledge is reliable, thus dismissing the contributions of rationalism completely.
d. Kant’s idealism was revolutionary because it proposed that rational thought alone could provide all the knowledge we need, rendering empirical evidence unnecessary.
b. Kant realized the incompleteness of both methods. Knowledge is an interaction between the mind of the knower and the object known.
How can Kant’s formalism best be described?
a. Formalism suggests that our knowledge and experience are limited by the formal constraints of our minds.
b. Formalism suggests that all moral decisions should be based solely on emotional intuition and personal feelings.
c. Formalism suggests that the subjectivity of experience renders knowledge and truth claims relative from person to person.
d. Formalism suggests that all moral actions must align with religious commandments and divine will.
a. Formalism suggests that our knowledge and experience are limited by the formal constraints of our minds.
Why are the categories phenomena and noumena important to Kant’s overall philosophy?
a. Phenomena and noumena are crucial to Kant’s philosophy because they support his idea that the external world does not exist independently of our perceptions.
b. The importance of phenomena and noumena in Kant’s philosophy is to demonstrate that empirical science can uncover the ultimate nature of reality.
c. The distinction helps illuminate the limits of human understanding and helps us establish a basis for moral philosophy.
d. Kant used the categories of phenomena and noumena to argue that sensory experience alone is sufficient for understanding all aspects of reality.
c. The distinction helps illuminate the limits of human understanding and helps us establish a basis for moral philosophy.
Which of the following best characterizes the difference between practical and theoretical reason?
a. Theoretical reasoning has to do with scientific reasoning and the phenomenal world, whereas practical reasoning has to do with religious feelings and intuitions in the noumenal world.
b. Practical reason is focused on individual goals and desires, whereas theoretical reasoning is focused on collective welfare.
c. Practical reason is concerned with abstract concepts, whereas theoretical reason is concerned with concrete actions.
d. Theoretical reason is used to understand human emotions, whereas practical reason is used to understand the natural world.
a. Theoretical reasoning has to do with scientific reasoning and the phenomenal world, whereas practical reasoning has to do with religious feelings and intuitions in the noumenal world.
How is the distinction between practical reason and theoretical reason essential for Kant’s moral theory?
a. The distinction helps parse out cause and effect relationships, so we can know when our will is free or not free and thus what we are and are not guilty of.
b. Kant argues that we cannot consciously act when no desire is involved at all. We are temporally and spatially located in the phenomenal world, and that means we have desires that cause us to act.
c. The distinction is necessary for understanding having duties beyond our own desires through conscious choice based on our general principles.
d. One is used to understand the phenomenal world and the other to understand the noumenal; morality is understanding both together.
c. The distinction is necessary for understanding having duties beyond our own desires through conscious choice based on our general principles.
Why does Kant think that only rational beings are morally culpable for their actions?
a. Because practical reason imposes the notion of ought on to us
b. Because they are the only creatures capable of experiencing physical pain and suffering as a result of their actions
c. Because God gave only humans the ability to reason, so we must be held accountable for our transgressions
d. Because Kant thinks that men should be held accountable for their privilege (men are seen as rational, and women as emotional, and so he doesn’t want women held accountable for the actions of men in positions of power)
a. Because practical reason imposes the notion of ought on to us
Which of the following really matters to Kant’s theory of morality?
a. Right consequences
b. Half-hearted good wishes
c. Good will and intention
d. Moral platitudes
c. Good will and intention
What is a maxim?
a. Maxim usually refers to “too much”; it describes the phenomena of overtly judging people’s actions based on your subjective whims.
b. Maxim is another word for superior, which you will find throughout divine command theory, the idea that God is the maxim or highest decision maker for what is moral.
c. A maxim is a reason or rule according to which an act is done or not done.
d. It is short for maximizing, which is fundamental in the consequentialist theory because the goal is to maximize happiness for the most people.
c. A maxim is a reason or rule according to which an act is done or not done.
What is the categorical imperative?
a. We must act only according to principles we think should apply to everyone; we ought to act based on duty, not desire.
b. In logic, it is an if–then statement that shows the relationship of cause and effect.
c. It is the understanding that obeying God or nature or any other overpowering force out of fear or necessity is moral.
d. It is when we act in accordance with our future goals. For example, if I want a good grade in this class, I should study.
a. We must act only according to principles we think should apply to everyone; we ought to act based on duty, not desire.
What is a hypothetical imperative?
a. In logic, it is a disjunctive syllogism, where you must make a “this or that” decision based on duty and universalization principles.
b. Hypothetical imperatives use a priori thinking; they are a basis for moral duty.
c. It is a moral obligation we must act only according to principles we think should apply to everyone; we act based on duty, not desire.
d. A hypothetical imperative tells us what to do under specific, variable conditions to bring about a desired effect.
d. A hypothetical imperative tells us what to do under specific, variable conditions to bring about a desired effect.
According to Kant, what is the best description of the kingdom of ends?
a. It is the phenomenon that describes your moral end if you use other people for your own gain.
b. It is an expression used to describe the afterlife where you will go if you are morally suitable.
c. It is an expression that describes a moral universe where everyone is intrinsically valuable, not just a means to someone else’s end.
d. It is part of the noumenal realm; we can experience it by a posteriori truth.
c. It is an expression that describes a moral universe where everyone is intrinsically valuable, not just a means to someone else’s end.
What is the value of autonomy according to Kant?
a. Autonomy in the Kantian sense is another category distinction that puts the most intellectual individuals in the category and the kingdom of ends. This prevents people who are not philosophers from making laws they would be subject to.
b. Autonomy gives us the value such that we will respect each other as having dignity and worth.
c. Autonomy means automatic, so the value he highlights is how our morality is not accessed a priori but through automatic and visceral reactions to empirical data.
d. Autonomy gives us value as special individuals; it sees us for our individual merits rather than being held back by our unscrupulous communities.
b. Autonomy gives us the value such that we will respect each other as having dignity and worth.
When you take a philosophy class to fulfill your general or core graduation requirements, are you treating the professor as a mere means to your own end?
a. Yes. But it is okay because he is doing it to me by collecting a paycheck for teaching me.
b. No. My intention was not bad, so because of having good will, I am not culpable for such an action.
c. Yes. I am disregarding their dignity and autonomy by using him as a means to my own end.
d. No. I am treating the professor and class as a means and an end, and Kant doesn’t preclude this.
d. No. I am treating the professor and class as a means and an end, and Kant doesn’t preclude this.
In what way did John Rawls try to improve upon Kant’s categorical imperative, that is, how did he try to combat personal bias and inequality?
a. One way to combat inequality is to have a redistribution of goods and property. So Rawls improved on Kant’s idea by moving from ideal theory to nonideal theory and suggested a redistribution of goods.
b. Rawls’s thought experiment where we are behind a veil of ignorance, not knowing our social standing, helps improve our being as objective as possible when conceiving of justice, though Kant shows clear biases in favor of his own interests.
c. Rawls improved on Kant’s theory by proving it incorrect and suggesting another route, which was to make an imaginary society where everyone was paid equally and everyone was given property.
d. Rawls suggested that we can never be equal, so it is best to hide behind a veil of ignorance so that you are not culpable for the immoral actions that come about from participating in capitalism.
b. Rawls’s thought experiment where we are behind a veil of ignorance, not knowing our social standing, helps improve our being as objective as possible when conceiving of justice, though Kant shows clear biases in favor of his own interests.
How did John Rawls further Kant’s formalism?
a. He developed more rigid principles so that any inequality that did exist was on the basis of the person who didn’t follow the principles.
b. He developed Kant’s formalism by still adhering to principles, but the principles are Rawls’s guarantee of basic liberties while seeking to ensure that social inequalities are in the interest of all parties.
c. John Rawls furthered Kant’s formalism by integrating principles from Marxist theory, arguing that a society’s justice system should focus primarily on the redistribution of wealth and property.
d. He did so by asserting that fairness is not justice. Any rational person understands that we need equality among citizens.
b. He developed Kant’s formalism by still adhering to principles, but the principles are Rawls’s guarantee of basic liberties while seeking to ensure that social inequalities are in the interest of all parties.
Which of the following is a criticism leveled against both Kant and Rawls?
a. They both used formalism and abstraction in their systems, which tend to ignore the lived realities of people of color, women, and people living in oppressive conditions.
b. Both philosophers were accused of advocating for a completely relativistic approach to ethics.
c. Critics argue that both Kant and Rawls failed to address the importance of economic efficiency and market dynamics in their theories of justice.
d. Critics claimed that both philosophers ignored the significance of cultural identity and advocated for a homogenous society.
a. They both used formalism and abstraction in their systems, which tend to ignore the lived realities of people of color, women, and people living in oppressive conditions.
Why do so many feminist philosophers and philosophers of color reject Kantian ideals?
a. Because they believe Kantian ethics promotes extreme individualism, which undermines the importance of community and collective identity
b. Because Kant used the universal “him” and “man” throughout his writings, carelessly excluding people and their identities
c. Because Kant asserted that both women and people of color are inferior
d. Because Kantian ideals prioritize emotions and personal feelings over rational thought, leading to biased decision-making
c. Because Kant asserted that both women and people of color are inferior
How does Charles Mills suggest we read Kant in order to save his moral theory from the criticisms of putting “white men” at the center of reason?
a. He thinks we should just ignore his racism and sexism.
b. He suggests that we should rethink his principles and ideas in light of a modernity that is structured by racial domination.
c. He advises that we reinterpret Kant’s theories through a Marxist lens, emphasizing class struggle over race and gender.
d. Mills recommends adopting a postmodern approach to Kant, deconstructing his arguments to reveal their inherent contradictions without attempting to reconcile or save any part of his moral theory.
b. He suggests that we should rethink his principles and ideas in light of a modernity that is structured by racial domination.
How do defenders of Kant use the categorical imperative to “save” his moral theory from the criticisms of racism and sexism?
a. By acting only according to maxims that we can will to become universal laws. Any maxim involving racism or sexism cannot be universalized without contradiction because it would entail treating certain groups as inferior, which undermines the concept of equal moral worth.
b. They assert that the categorical imperative can be interpreted to allow for exceptions where discrimination is deemed necessary for societal progress.
c. They think Kant’s moral theory can be reconciled with modern values by interpreting the categorical imperative as supporting meritocracy, which may inadvertently favor certain races and genders.
d. Defenders argue that the categorical imperative allows for differential treatment so long as it aims to correct historical injustices and achieve equality in the long run.
a. By acting only according to maxims that we can will to become universal laws. Any maxim involving racism or sexism cannot be universalized without contradiction because it would entail treating certain groups as inferior, which undermines the concept of equal moral worth.
According to Kant, why can a maxim involving lying not be a universal law?
a. Because lying undermines trust and cannot be consistently practiced by everyone
b. Because we do not want everyone to lie, but lying can be justified in emergencies
c. Because we might become too good at lying, and he is worried about being deceived by a friend
d. Because he understood that lying was necessary for social stability, but he was against universalizing it because he believed some people are inferior
a. Because lying undermines trust and cannot be consistently practiced by everyone
“If you are cold, close the door behind you” is an example of what concept in Kant’s philosophy?
a. Hypothetical imperative
b. Noumena
c. Phenomena
d. Categorical imperative
a. Hypothetical imperative
According to John Rawls, what are the fundamental principles of justice?
a. Principles of fairness, love, and order
b. Principles of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness
c. Principles that free and rational persons would agree with
d. Principles that result in basic equality of fact
c. Principles that free and rational persons would agree with
