Kantian ethics

Question 1

What does Deontological mean?

Answer 1

Ethics based on actions/intentions.
Absolute

Question 2

Did Kant think that moral knowledge is a priori or a posteriori?

Answer 2

A priori

Question 3

What did Kant think was the only thing that could be called good?

Answer 3

Good will

Question 4

What is the name given to a rule you have to follow to achieve a particular outcome?

Answer 4

Hypothetical imperative

Question 5

What is the categorical imperative?

Answer 5

A set of rules you have to follow absolutely to be moral.

Question 6

What are the three principles to the categorical imperative?

Answer 6

The universal law of nature, the end in itself and live like you’re in the Kingdom of ends.

Question 7

How does Kant think we can know that humans have immortality?

Answer 7

Without the after life there would be no justice, some people suffer when they’re the most moral.

Question 8

What are the three postulates?

Answer 8

Free will, afterlife and God.

Question 9

What’s summon bonum?

Answer 9

The greatest good, the most perfect and ethical way to live your life.

Question 10

Why did Kant think moral knowledge was a priori?

Answer 10

It is through reason, we know it through moral law.
Moral law is an eternal law that binds us.

Question 11

Kant thinks moral laws are ma______

Answer 11

Maxims
Fixed rules that must always apply.

Question 12

Should moral laws apply to everyone?

Answer 12

Yes, they’re universal.

Question 13

What does Kant think separates us from animals?

Answer 13

Rationality.

Question 14

What does duty need to be free from?

Answer 14

Emotion, authority command, personal gain.

Question 15

Is using emotion whilst making ethical decisions wrong?

Answer 15

Not wrong, just amoral (not good or bad).

Question 16

Duty quote from Kant and explained:

Answer 16

‘Duty involves freely choosing the action’.
We have a moral obligation to perform certain actions regardless of consequence.
Work out duty through reason and as long as you do your duty, you are morally blameless.

Question 17

What things are not involved in doing your duty?

Answer 17

• no emotion.
• no personal gain.
• no authority command.

Question 18

Goodwill:

Answer 18

• A moral act is one performed with goodwill, wanting to benefit others.
• ‘Goodwill shines forth like a precious jewel’.
• We have no idea what it is, uses florid language to stop us knowing what it really is.
• Nothing can be ‘taken as good qualification, except good will’.

Question 19

Kant example of goodwill:

Answer 19

Shop keeper.
- A shop keeper might be pleasant, but they just want money in order to make a profit.

Question 20

Moral Law:

Answer 20

Duty and goodwill together make moral law.
- ‘The moral law within’, each of us have the capability to achieve this. Everyone can reason how they ought to behave in a situation.
- All to strive to the summon bonum.

Question 21

When are mistakes made in moral thinking?

Answer 21

When we follow a heteronomous approach- arguments based on following laws set down by others (like Church).
(You cannot do things following authority command).
Only moral law we should follow is that knowable by reason.

Question 22

What are his two imperatives?

Answer 22

• Hypothetical imperative.
• Categorical imperative.

Question 23

What is an imperative?

Answer 23

An essential act.

Question 24

What is the hypothetical imperative?

Answer 24

• A command to achieve a desired result.
• If I want x I must do y. If I am hungry, I must eat.
• Kant does not agree with this imperative, no obligation unless the ethics are teleological, but Kantian ethics are deontological. (Always looking at an end outcome).
• It does not have an absolute moral law.
• Judgements not connected to ethics.

Question 25

Categorical imperative:

Answer 25

• Act that is good in itself regardless of the consequence (deontological).
• Does not differ between people.
• Absolute moral laws.
• Right thing to do, no justification, in line with duty.
• Creates three formulations.

Question 26

Three formulations:

Answer 26

• Formula of the law of nature: universalizability.
• Formula of the end in itself: Means to an end.
• Formula of the kingdom of ends.

Question 27

Universalisability:

Answer 27

‘Act only according to that maxim by which you can at the same time will that it will become a universal law’.
- The maxim (act) is right only if it can be universalised.
- What would happen if everyone else did it?

Question 28

Kant’s examples of universalisability:

Answer 28

• Lying promise
• Suicide
• Neglecting one’s talents
• Refraining from helping others

Question 29

Means to an end:

Answer 29

• Every rational being exists ‘as an end in himself’.
• People should always be treated as an end, never as a means only to your own end.

Question 30

Kingdom of ends:

Answer 30

• Every individual should behave as though every other individual was an end.
• Creating an ideal society.

Question 31

What are the second and third forms?

Answer 31

Clarifying the first.

Question 32

Three postulates:

Answer 32

• Freedom
• Immorality
• God

Question 33

What is a postulate?

Answer 33

A solution to a problem.

Question 34

Freedom:

Answer 34

• Freedom is the ‘highest degree of life’ and the ‘inner worth of the world’.
• We have to be free to follow our duty.
• Without freedom we couldn’t be ‘saved’ or ‘damned’ for our actions’.

Question 35

Immorality:

Answer 35

• Perfect virtue ought to be rewarded with perfect happiness.
• This perfect happiness is the highest good (summon bonum).
• This summon bonum is not achievable in this life, so there must be an afterlife.
• We should be good because it is the right thing to do, not because we get rewarded.

Question 36

God:

Answer 36

If the summon bonum can be achieved in the next life, there must be someone to ensure it happens.
God.

Question 37

What is the summon bonum?

Answer 37

• Doesn’t explicitly say, but it is the implication that it is heaven.

Question 38

Weaknesses:

Answer 38

• Emotions are fundamental to moral decisions sometimes. Guilt makes us realise the right things to do.
• There is arguably ALWAYS an ulterior motive.
• Ethics are based on cultural relativism.
• Reductionist basis for what morality should be.
• End results are important.
• Duty can lead to a bad outcome. Politicians believe they have a duty to the country.

Question 39

Weakness example:

Answer 39

Axe murderer story.
Kant says it is your duty not to lie.
Surely if you know you can prevent the outcome, you should prevent it????
But Kant argues you are morally blameless.