Kantian ethics

Question 1

When was Kant writing and what did he write?

Answer 1

1724-1804, famous for “Critique of Pure reason” and “Foundation for the metaphysics of Morals”

Question 2

What type of system is Kantian ethics?

Answer 2

It is a deontological system of ethics made up of universal prescriptivist laws which one must be free to carry out.

Question 3

How does Kant work out his laws?

Answer 3

Using reason, they do not come from God

Question 4

What is the Good Will?

Answer 4

To do one’s duty

Question 5

How does one achieve the Summum bonum?

Answer 5

When duty is carried out for the sake of duty alone

Question 6

What is the Summum Bonum?

Answer 6

Where human happiness and virtue are united

Question 7

What does Kant say about doing duty?

Answer 7

You must do “Duty for duties sake”. It cannot be done out of compassion.

Question 8

What does Kant say makes an act good? (Quote)

Answer 8

If a man “does good not from inclination, but from duty”

Question 9

How is Kant a deontologist?

Answer 9

Consequences are unimportant for Kant. Ethics is never worked out using the ends but always the duty - feature of the act itself is important for Kant and the motive - to do one’s duty for the sake of duty alone.

Question 10

What does Kant say about emotions?

Answer 10

Kant distrusted emotions as being unreliable and phenomenal (from the world of experience).

Question 11

What does Kant say about the Good Will?

Answer 11

It is intrinsically good. Desires, consequences, feelings cannot be good in themselves. Only an action coming from the motive of duty alone can be moral.

Question 12

Give Kant’s quote about the Good Will.

Answer 12

The Good Will “shines forth like a precious jewel”

Question 13

What did Kant mean by categorical?

Answer 13

Unconditional commands binding on everyone at all times, based on reason, not feelings.

Question 14

Give an example of a categorical imperative. What did Kant call these?

Answer 14

“You ought to tell the truth”. Kant called these maxims, or general rules

Question 15

What are hypothetical imperatives?

Answer 15

“You ought to tell the truth if no-one’s hurt by it” (a hypothesis is an “if” statement e.g. if it suits you then lie, so rightness depends on your goals or feelings)

Question 16

What were Kant’s views on the different imperatives?

Answer 16

He accepted Categorical Imperatives and rejected hypothetical imperatives.

Question 17

What is the first principle?

Answer 17

Universalize your actions into a universal law

Question 18

What does Kant say about the first principle?

Answer 18

“Always act in such a way that the maxim of your action can be willed as a universal law for all humanity”

Question 19

What does someone have to consider when universalizing a law?

Answer 19

Whether it leads to disorder in society?
Whether it is a contradiction in the Law of Nature of in the Will?

Question 20

What is a contradiction in the law of Nature?

Answer 20

You cannot carry out a maxim/principle if it contradicts the nature of what it is e.g. you cannot have “you ought to tell lies” as this breaks the very nature of truth telling and then there would be no such thing as truth

Question 21

What example does Kant give for the contradiction in the law of Nature?

Answer 21

“A man reduced to despair by a series of misfortunes feels wearied of life, and asks if it wouldn’t be contrary to duty to take his own life. We see at once that a system of nature in which it should be a universal law to destroy life would contradict itself: that maxim can’t exist as a universal law of nature”

Question 22

What is a contradiction in the will?

Answer 22

One cannot have a law/maxim that contradicts what you would like for yourself e.g. if you know that one day you will need help then the maxim is “you ought to help others” and not “You ought not to help others!”

Question 23

What is the second principle of the categorical Imperative?

Answer 23

Never to use people as a means to an end

Question 24

Give Kant’s quote for the second principle.

Answer 24

“Always treat human beings as an end in themselves, never simply as a means to an end”

Question 25

Why does Kant argue that humans shouldn’t be used as means to an end?

Answer 25

All humans are equal in status. We have reason and this distinguishes us from other animals. For this reason humans can never be exploited. Dignity of the individual is important

Question 26

What was Kant’s third principle?

Answer 26

To be law making members of a kingdom of ends

Question 27

What does Kant mean by the third principle?

Answer 27

this means that if we make commands using the three principles of the categorical imperatives and we all use our reason to make them then we should come up with the same laws (ends) using our reason

Question 28

Give Kant’s quote for the third principle.

Answer 28

“So act as if you were a law-maker in a kingdom of ends”