Kantian ethics Flashcards
What is the ethical characterization of Kant’s theory?
Deontological, based upon the idea of duty, moral statements are prescriptive and we should act out of duty, not compassion.
What are moral statements?
A priori synthetic, moral knowledge is gained through pure reason, not experience.
What is the moral law?
It is objective and we know it through reason. Moral laws are binding and we know the moral law without reference to consequences.
What is the goodwill?
The highest form of good, also known as summon bonum, to have good will is to do one’s duty, doing what is required and avoiding that which is forbidden.
What is duty?
Doing actions which are required, we can know what these are purely through reason. We must act out of duty, not emotions or feelings.
What is the hypothetical imperative?
It tells you what you should do if you want to reach a desired outcome, it is not binding and if you do not want the outcome, there is no requirement to follow it.
Give an example of a hypothetical imperative
If you want to be an Olympic athlete, you ought to train everyday. The ought is conditioned by our wants and interests and can be abandoned if you don’t want the outcome, hypothetical imperatives are grounded in self interest.
Would it be moral to help an old lady to cross the road to impress your girlfriend in Kant’s eyes?
No, you should do it out of your duty to help the elderly, the reason you do an act also matters.
What is the categorical imperative?
Tells you what to do without reference to the likely outcomes, you must follow it and it is binding.
What is the first form of the categorical imperative?
The universal law, “act only according to that maxim by which you can at the same time will that it should become a universal law.” You can only do an act if it can be universalized, moral laws must be applied to all situations with no expert ions.
Why does Kant not allow exceptions to the universal law?
They would have an eroding effect on society, if an action such as stealing was universalized it would lead to a contradiction as if everyone was stealing all the time, no one would have anything to be stolen, so it could never be universalized.
Give an example of the universal law in action
If a man needed to pay for a medical procedure, but did not have the money to repay a loan which could pay for the treatment, Kant would say that he should not take out he loan because the act of breaking a promise could not be universalized.
What is the second form of the categorical imperative?
Treat everyone as ends in themselves, you can never exploit people or treat them merely as a means to an end. His emphasizes equality and protects individual rights.
What is the third form of the categorical imperative?
Act as if you live in a kingdom of ends. That means you must act as if all people in the world act in accordance with the moral law. This means we could never justify an immoral action by saying “I’ll lie because others lie” you have to act as if you live in an ideal society.
Give three strengths of Kant’s theory
- The categorical imperative prohibits acts normally seen as immoral such as murder. 2. It does not rely on predicting outcomes or measuring happiness. 3. It promotes equality.
