Kantian Ethic

Question 1

What type of Theory is Kantian Ethics

Answer 1

Deontological and based on reason/logical so no emotions or sense experience

Question 2

What is Duty and Good will?

Answer 2

Kant believe about Duty is acting morally according to the good regardless of the consequences and Kant determined to discover the essence of Moral truth he believed was objective in nature and based on reason, not feeling

Question 3

Kant says Four things you can’t do?

Answer 3

1)Lying promise
2)Suicide
3)Neglecting ones ‘talents
4)Refraining from helping others
If everyone did all of these Maxim (general rules) it will cause chaos

Question 4

What does Kant say our Duty is to others?

Answer 4

To be generous, grateful and sympathetic to respect people as individuals and equals

Question 5

What does Kant believe about Goodwill?

Answer 5

is only good if the person acts from a sense of good will and an action is not good if its done out of emotion or to make you look/feel good

Question 6

What is Hypothetical imperative?

Answer 6

refers to this rule we must follow if we want to achieve a certain results example if I want to pass my exams, I must revise for them

Question 7

What is Categorical imperative?

Answer 7

refers to rules that must be followed with no ‘‘ifs’’ or ‘‘buts’’ Moral rules are categorical imperative

Question 8

What is the 3 Formulation of the Categorical imperative?

Answer 8

1) First Formulation of the Categorical Imperative (Universal Law)
2) Second Formula of Categorical imperative (Person means to and end)
3) Third Formula of the Categorical Imperative (Kingdom of Ends)

Question 9

What is the First Formulation of the Categorical Imperative (Universal Law)?

Answer 9

universal law of nature: our rules must be capable of being universal (they should be universable)

Question 10

What is the Second Formulation of the Categorical Imperative (Person means to an end )?

Answer 10

-Kant believe we should treat people as an end in themselves as a free rational being who deserve dignity and respect
-We should not treat them as a means to an end using them to achive some sort of purpose. We can use object this way not people

Question 11

What is the Third Formulation of the Categorical Imperative (Kingdom of End)?

Answer 11

-The final test is almost a combination of the first two
-Kant ask us to imagine we are part of Law- making group in an imaginary country where everyone always treat others as an end

Question 12

What is Summum bonum?

Answer 12

supreme good. Kant uses it to mean the highest happiness

Question 13

What are the three postulates?

Answer 13

•There is a God-Only divine being could have knowledge required reward dutiful
•Immortality -Must be an immortal soul because reward of highest happiness could not be obtained in this life but after life
•Possibility freedom-Obtain summum bonum must act freely or a reward would not be appropriate

Question 14

Strength of Kantian Ethics?

Answer 14

• Kantian ethics is clear and easy to follow.Its absolutist,deontological nature is arguably the most easy to apply. This good buisness and sexual ethics.Any theory which is easy to apply is helpful/useful/reliable
• Kant states we should treat people as ‘‘an end themselves’’ and so Kantian ethics put everyone equal ground. It aims to treat everyone fairly and justly and so corrects the utilitarian assumption that the minority can suffer so long as the majority are happy
• Consistent-The absolutist nature of the ethics means that what it says will never change nobody is an exception.This is good for buisness- all customer are treated exactly the same none are favoured
• Honours respect and dignity- Kant sees humans as being a intrinsic worth and dignity as they are rational creatures. Human cannot be enslaved or exploited. This is basis of Declaration of Humans right

Question 15

Weaknesses of Kantian Ethics?

Answer 15

• Too abstract: Kant theory is abstract and not always easily applied to moral situations-it tells you what type of action are good but it does not tell you what is right thing to do in particular situation.Though Kant tell us in general terms to respect others and not treat them as ends this does not tell us what to do in individual cases.What about the terminally ill patient who wants to help to die
• Universalizabilty-A major difficult for kant’s theory is that it seems that not every universal maxim is a major one. It could be trivial or amoral. An this shows not evey maxim that passes his test is universalizability is a duty
• Conflicting duty-Catergorical imperative help us make moral decisons we’re faced with but we encounter conflict between duties.W.D Ross tried to resolve this problem claimingthat if you have a duty to do ur homework but you grandma is in hospital Kant would say do u homework