Kant's Theory Revision Flashcards
For Kant, morality is ______ put into practice?
Reason
What does ‘A Priori Synthetic’ mean?
Something gained through reason and tested in the real world
What did Kant believe that knowledge was gained from?
knowledge is gained from logic but tested in the real world
Kant’s famous quote….?
“Two things fill my mind with ever increasing certainty, the starry skies above me and the moral law within me”
Can the innate moral law be doubted?
No, it’s undubitable
What is the highest form of good?
Our innate moral law
How do we act with a good will?
By following our duty
What is our duty?
By adding reason we know what we should do, this is our duty
What does autonomous mean?
We have free will
Did Kant believe we are autonomous?
Yes
How do we make our free will ‘good will’?
When we freely choose to follow our duty we make this free will good
Did Kant believe that following God’s rules led to morality?
No, Kant believed that if we just perform actions to follow rules then we are not following our duty
How is an action moral?
Only when we freely choose to follow our duty
What is the purpose of Kant’s 3 pronged test?
Used to test whether an action is moral
What is a ‘maxim’?
The proposal being put into the three pronged test
What 3 formulations are in the 3 pronged test?
- Universalisation
- Treat people as ends not means
- Act as a law making member of the kingdom of ends
What is universalisation?
Must assume and be happy that everyone else will do it. Can’t lead to a contradiction, e.g. can’t lie to protect someone as everyone would then lie and so there would no longer be truth.
