Kant Flashcards
What approach does Kant take to ethics?
Deontological
Knowledge is gained through ___
Reason
What does a priori synthetic mean?
Gained through reason, tested in the real world.
What is the quote Kant uses to explain the moral law?
“Two things fill my mind with ever increasing certainty, the starry skies above me and the moral law within me”
What does Kant mean about morality in his quote?
He is saying that the moral law within us is indubitable, we cannot doubt it just like we cannot doubt the skies above.
What happens when we follow our duty?
We act with a good will
What is another word for free will?
Autonomy
Why does Kant think that reason leads to morality?
Because if we just perform actions because of rules we are not following our duty, however when we use reason to figure out what is good we are acting with a good will.
What are the three prongs of the three pronged test?
1) Universalisation
2) Treat people as ends not means
3) Live as a law making member of the kingdom of ends
What is the proposal that you put into the three pronged test called?
The maxim
Explain universalisation.
To universialise something you have to assume that everyone will also do the same. In the case of abortion you have to assume that if you have one, everyone would have one and there would be no babies. This is the same for lying, if everyone lies there would be no truth.
What happens if the maxim passes the three pronged test?
It becomes a categorical imperative.
What is a categorical imperative?
Something that passes the three pronged test - the highest and only moral command.
What is a hypothetical imperative?
You do something to get something else, you do X to get to Y.
What is the summum bonum?
Supreme good
