kantian deontological ethics Flashcards
absolute/absolutism
unconditional and applying everywhere. absolutism is the view that moral rules are absolute and apply without exception
acting in accordance with duty
action based upon hypothetical imperatives which do not lead to a violation of any categorical imperatives. acting from a motive other than duty but not conflicting with any duties you may have
acting out of duty
acting based upon categorical and motivated by one’s own good will. doing one’s duty because it is one’s duty, not just because it coincidentally accords with you own motives
agent / agency
an individual who is able to act freely and direct their own course of action. agency is the state one is in when one is an agent
autonomy
the ability to act rationally from one’s own reasons, an autonomous agent is one who acts according to they own principles, rather than being driven by other forces
categorical imperative
a conman which is unconditional and universal. in kants philosophy the rules of morality are categorical imperatives as they must be followed without exception
first formulation
act only according to that maxim which you would will to be universal law
second formulation
always treat humanity whether in yourself or in other, never only as means to an end but always as an end in itself
clashing duties
a state where i am unable to perform one of my duties without violating another, thus producing a dilemma
conditional
only applying under certain circumstances “if…then”
conflicting duties
a state where performing one of my duties will lead me to neglect another, thus meaning that i am in a dilemma over which to perform
contradiction
a state where two propositions cannot be asserted at the same time and both be true
contradiction in conception
a contradiction caused by universalising a maxim, whereby making it into universal law leads the very concepts entailed within the maxim to be denied
contradiction in will
a contradiction caused by universalising a maxim whereby an attempt to make it a universal law would affirm the ends but deny the means
deontology
the moral theory that states we should always do our duty regardless of consequences, an act cantered theory which gives absolutist rules of conduct
imperfect duty
what one must do, which may not be possible to carry out all the time
perfect duty
what one must do without exception
other regarding duty
what me must do when considering our conduct towards others
self regarding duty
what me must do when considering our treatment of ourselves
end
a goal or aim, the thing we wish to achieve which we use various means in order to bring about
formal account of morality
an account of morality which looks at what morality would have to be like if it were to count as morality, lays the groundwork of producing a normative ethical theory
formulation
the term used by kant for the specific rules generated by finding rational and unconditional laws of conduct, turns the categorical command of “you must” into something practical
good in itself
something which is good without any relation to anything else, intrinsically good
good will
a will that is good without qualification as it is motivated by duty. a will that acts in accordance with reason and rules that it could rationally universalise
heteronomy
acting not from one’s own principles and reasons but driven by something else
hypothetical
conditional, taking the form of “if…then”
hypothetical imperative
a command which does not have to be followed at all times but is conditional and relative to circumstances
imperative
a command i often in the form “you ought to” in kants view imperatives can also be self directed and emerge from the principles behind and reasons for our own decisions
instrumental value
a good due to being means to and end where that end is some other further good
intrinsic value
a good in itself
maxim
a principle or rule we follow when we act
means
the method by which is an end is reached
moral dilemma
a choice between two options where both options lead to something we would consider morally bad
non hypothetical imperatives
Foots name for various customs and codes for etiquette that take the form of imperative that are binding but which only apply to certain people under certain conditions
passions
another name for the emotions typically placed in contrast to reason
practical reason
the use of rational thought to decide upon courses of action including but not limited to moral decision making
rational
in accordance with reason, consistent
rights
a range of claims and liberties that individuals are entitled to
unconditional
without exception, not based upon circumstances
universal
applied to everyone and everything within a certain field, applying to all autonomous agents
universalisable
applicable to all individuals in the same way. a key aim of moral theories can often be to find a set of universalisable principles
universal law
a rule which would apply to all individuals equally
will
the part of us which is able to choose and decide upon actions, according to kant will is fundamentally rational and act in accordance with reason
without qualification
without the need for further explanation
