Kant's Moral Argument Flashcards
What did Kant say about God’s existence?
That it can only be established through faith and not logic. Therefore his ‘argument’ isn’t really an argument
What did Kant believe in?
Categorical imperative which are laws everyone should live by that are universalised
What are the key words you should use for a summary of Kant’s ethics?
Innate moral awareness, ability to reason is a priori, deontological, summum bonum, duty
What are Kant’s three postulates of practical reason?
Freedom, God and immortality
What did Kant say about freedom?
Humans have the choice whether to choose good or evil. However, humans have an ought to promote the highest good (summum bonum). However, in this life virtue and happiness don’t always collide (e.g Martin Luther King was assassinated) so there must be a next life where people who do their duty can achieve the summum bonum. Kant said ‘ought implies can’.
What did Kant say about God?
There must be someone who can achieve the highest good (summum bonum) and provide the afterlife
What did Kant say about immortality?
Happiness and virtue do not always collide in this life so there must be an afterlife provided by God where happiness and virtue do collide and the summum bonum is achieved?
What are the strengths of Kant?
J. Richmond said it appeals to believers. It gives an end purpose and goal to humankind, life is not meaningless. An alternative is bleak. H.P Owen said ‘it is impossible to think of a command without thinking of a commander’. Aquinas said a sense of morality points to the existence of a God
What are the weaknesses of Kant?
Cultural relativism (in different societies there are different views about what is good or evil), does not have to be God who brings about the highest good: B. Davies ‘it could be a pantheon of very clever, Kantian minded angels’
