Kant Flashcards
What is the difference between differences in degree or quantity and differences in kind or quality?
Differences in degree or quantity refer to variations in amount, while differences in kind or quality refer to variations in nature or type.
What is the difference between a normative claim and a descriptive claim?
A normative claim expresses how things ought to be, while a descriptive claim states how things are.
What are necessary and sufficient conditions?
Necessary conditions must be present for an event to occur, while sufficient conditions guarantee the event occurs.
Define moral responsibility.
Moral responsibility refers to the status of morally deserving praise or blame for an action.
What is causal responsibility?
Causal responsibility refers to the relationship between a person’s actions and the outcomes that result from those actions.
What is consequentialism?
Consequentialism is the view that the right action is the one that maximizes overall goodness.
What is required for a complete normative theory in consequentialism?
A consequentialist needs to supply an account of the good to have a complete normative theory.
Why do we need to know how to rank consequences in consequentialism?
We need to know how to rank consequences to determine which are good and which are bad.
Do all normative theories require an account of the good?
No, not all normative theories require an account of the good, particularly deontological theories.
What do deontological theories hold regarding right actions?
Deontological theories hold that an action is right if it conforms to a moral law and wrong if it fails to conform.
What is the primary concern of deontological theories?
The primary concern is whether the action itself conforms to the moral law, not the consequences of the action.
What is an example of a set of moral laws in deontology?
One example is the ten commandments.
According to a simple deontological view, what determines the permissibility of an action?
An action is permissible if it conforms to the ten commandments and impermissible if it fails to conform.
What type of theory is Kant developing in his ethics?
Kant is developing a theory of normative ethics.
What does Kant conclude is good without qualification?
Only a good will is good without qualification.
What are the two parts to Kant’s claim about a good will?
- A good will is good without qualification.
Nothing else is good without qualification.
What is a good will according to Kant?
Only a good will is good without qualification.
What is the key to understanding a good will?
Investigating the concept of duty.
How does Kant define a good will?
A good will acts not just in accordance with duty, but out of duty.
What is a maxim in Kant’s philosophy?
The reason one does something or the principle that an agent uses to determine what to do.
What does it mean to act out of duty?
To do something because it is one’s duty to do it, not because of any consequences.
What is required for an action to express a good will?
Acting on the maxim that one does something because it is their duty.
What is the relationship between acting from duty and esteem?
One is worthy of esteem only when acting from duty.
What does Kant suggest about actions motivated by consequences?
If one performs an action because of its consequences, one is not acting from duty.
What is duty in Kant’s philosophy?
An action is required if the maxim of that action is a kind of law.
What motivates us to act in accordance with a maxim?
Respect for the law.
What form must a maxim have to be considered a law?
The maxim could be a law that everyone is required to conform to.
Fill in the blank: A good will is expressed when one acts _______.
out of duty
True or False: According to Kant, there is a particular law that one must follow.
False
