Kant - Ethics

Question 1

What issue did Enlightenment thinkers like Kant want to solve?

Answer 1

Religious conflict and lack of agreement between different faiths.

Question 2

What was Kant’s solution to religious conflict?

Answer 2

Base religion and ethics on reason, which is universal.

Question 3

Why is reason a better basis for ethics than faith according to Kant?

Answer 3

Everyone has reason, but not everyone shares the same faith.

Question 4

What is the Kantian view on moral laws and autonomy?

Answer 4

Moral laws should be adopted autonomously by rational individuals.

Question 5

How did Kant react to Hume’s ethical anti-realism?

Answer 5

By grounding morality in reason rather than emotions.

Question 6

What does universalizability mean in Kant’s ethics?

Answer 6

A moral action must be capable of being universally applied.

Question 7

What kind of ethics is Kantian ethics?

Answer 7

Deontological – duty-based.

Question 8

What is the foundation of Kant’s moral theory?

Answer 8

The Good Will – doing one’s duty from duty.

Question 9

What makes a Good Will ‘good’ according to Kant?

Answer 9

Acting from duty with the right intention.

Question 10

Why is happiness not unconditionally good in Kant’s view?

Answer 10

Because it’s only good when deserved.

Question 11

What is the only unconditionally good thing for Kant?

Answer 11

The Good Will.

Question 12

What is the only morally valid motivation for an action in Kant’s ethics?

Answer 12

Respect for the moral law.

Question 13

What are hypothetical imperatives?

Answer 13

Conditional commands, e.g., ‘If you want X, do Y’.

Question 14

What are categorical imperatives?

Answer 14

Unconditional moral laws, e.g., ‘Do X’.

Question 15

Why can’t morality be based on hypothetical imperatives?

Answer 15

They are conditional and subjective.

Question 16

What is Kant’s first formulation of the categorical imperative?

Answer 16

‘Act only on that maxim which you could will to be a universal law’.

Question 17

What is a contradiction in conception?

Answer 17

A situation where a maxim cannot logically be universalized.

Question 18

What is a contradiction in will?

Answer 18

A maxim that contradicts a rational agent’s will to achieve ends.

Question 19

Why is lying wrong according to Kant?

Answer 19

It creates a contradiction in conception when universalized.

Question 20

Why is refusing help wrong in Kant’s ethics?

Answer 20

It creates a contradiction in will.

Question 21

What is Kant’s second formulation of the categorical imperative?

Answer 21

‘Treat people always as ends, never merely as means’.

Question 22

What does it mean to treat someone as a mere means?

Answer 22

Using them without regard to their own goals and autonomy.

Question 23

When is it acceptable to treat someone as a means in Kantian ethics?

Answer 23

When they are also treated as ends.

Question 24

What example does Kant use to explain this concept?

Answer 24

Being served by a waiter respectfully.

Question 25

What is Kant’s third formulation of the categorical imperative?

Answer 25

Act as if in a 'kingdom of ends', where everyone respects moral law.

Question 26

What is the 'kingdom of ends'?

Answer 26

A community of rational beings all treated as ends.

Question 27

What are Kant's three postulates of practical reason?

Answer 27

God, Immortality of the soul, and Free Will.

Question 28

Why does Kant postulate God?

Answer 28

To ensure justice exists in an afterlife (summum bonum).

Question 29

Why is free will necessary in Kantian ethics?

Answer 29

Without it, we couldn’t be responsible for our actions.

Question 30

What is the summum bonum?

Answer 30

The highest good – the union of virtue and happiness.

Question 31

What does 'ought implies can' mean?

Answer 31

You can only be morally obligated to do what is possible.

Question 32

What issue arises with clashing duties?

Answer 32

Kant’s system may fail if two duties conflict and cannot both be done.

Question 33

How did Sartre illustrate clashing duties?

Answer 33

A soldier choosing between war and caring for a sick parent.

Question 34

How does Kant resolve clashing duties?

Answer 34

By distinguishing between perfect and imperfect duties.

Question 35

What are perfect duties?

Answer 35

Duties with only one possible form of fulfillment (e.g., not lying).

Question 36

What are imperfect duties?

Answer 36

Duties with multiple fulfillment options (e.g., helping others).

Question 37

How does this help resolve duty clashes?

Answer 37

We can choose alternative means to fulfill imperfect duties.

Question 38

What is Constant’s criticism of Kant?

Answer 38

We should lie to a murderer to prevent harm.

Question 39

How does Kant respond to Constant?

Answer 39

We can’t control consequences and must act only from duty.

Question 40

Why does Kant think we’re not responsible for consequences?

Answer 40

Because we can’t fully control them.

Question 41

What’s a flaw in Kant’s argument about consequences?

Answer 41

We can predict and influence consequences to some degree.

Question 42

How does utilitarianism differ here?

Answer 42

It judges actions by expected utility and outcomes.

Question 43

How do utilitarians like Bentham justify their view?

Answer 43

By acting on the tendency of actions to produce happiness.

Question 44

What is a defense of Kant against consequentialism?

Answer 44

Each person is responsible only for their own moral action.

Question 45

What critique does Hegel offer of Kant’s ethics?

Answer 45

That it overlooks our social interconnectedness.

Question 46

How does social responsibility conflict with Kantian individualism?

Answer 46

We may bear moral responsibility for influencing others.

Question 47

Why does Kant distrust emotions in moral reasoning?

Answer 47

They are unreliable and changeable.

Question 48

What role does reason play in Kantian ethics?

Answer 48

It provides a stable foundation for moral law.

Question 49

How does Barbara Herman interpret Kant on emotion?

Answer 49

Emotions can lead to right action only by luck.

Question 50

What is Bernard Williams' critique of Kant?

Answer 50

That it overlooks the moral role of emotional habits.

Question 51

What is Michael Stocker’s hospital example?

Answer 51

Visiting a friend out of duty is implausible and unnatural.

Question 52

What does 'one thought too many' mean?

Answer 52

Over-rationalizing actions that should be emotionally driven.

Question 53

How does virtue ethics respond to Kant?

Answer 53

It emphasizes cultivated emotions as moral motivators.

Question 54

What defense might Kant give here?

Answer 54

He’s concerned with moral law, not interpersonal affection.

Question 55

What is a strength of Kant’s approach in law and society?

Answer 55

It provides impersonal, legalistic guidance.

Question 56

How does Stocker’s critique hold up?

Answer 56

It shows emotions can be intentionally cultivated to motivate moral action.

Question 57

What strength does Kant’s meta-ethics offer?

Answer 57

It provides an objective, universal foundation for ethics.

Question 58

How does Kant influence human rights?

Answer 58

His concept of dignity shapes the universal declaration of human rights.

Question 59

What does Philippa Foot argue about categorical imperatives?

Answer 59

They are illusions; morality is based on hypothetical imperatives.

Question 60

What is Foot’s example involving etiquette?

Answer 60

Etiquette involves categorical imperatives that aren’t morally binding.

Question 61

What does Foot conclude about moral obligation?

Answer 61

It’s only rational if tied to personal ends.

Question 62

How might Kant defend against Foot?

Answer 62

Non-universalizable actions privilege one’s ends irrationally.

Question 63

Why does treating others as ends support Kant’s uniqueness?

Answer 63

It incorporates moral content beyond mere rules.

Question 64

What critique does McIntyre offer of Kant’s first formulation?

Answer 64

It vindicates trivial or immoral maxims.

Question 65

What are examples of universalizable but trivial maxims?

Answer 65

'Eat mussels in March' or 'Break only one promise ever'.

Question 66

What is a problematic universalizable immoral maxim?

Answer 66

'People born on Feb 29th can steal'.

Question 67

Why is giving to charity potentially problematic in Kantian ethics?

Answer 67

It may not be universalizable due to resource limitations.

Question 68

How does the second formulation address these issues?

Answer 68

It requires people be treated as ends, which trivial acts do not involve.

Question 69

What’s the purpose of the second formulation?

Answer 69

To ensure moral treatment of persons and prevent misuse.

Question 70

How does Kant’s ethic address fairness?

Answer 70

Via universalizability, echoing the golden rule.

Question 71

What is a cultural parallel to Kant’s ethics?

Answer 71

Golden Rule in Christianity, Hinduism, and Chinese philosophy.