2 kantian ethics Flashcards
what is kantian ethics’ made of
deontological, rationality, good will,
definition of the categorical imperative
an unconditional moral obligation which is binding in all circumstances - i ought to do this
what is a maxim
refers to a person’s intention for actions
kant’s deontological approach
moral value is not judged by the consequences of the act but by the act itself. we are all obligated to act morally and so obey the moral law irrelevant of consequences. certain acts are intrinsically good and bad
rationality
knowledge of moral laws can be gained through reason.
kant background context
his approach was typical of the enlightenment period of 18th century europe, which was known as the age of reason.
what is an imperative
something that must be done
what is a hypothetical imperative
an action considered as right depending upon a condition and takes the form of i ought to do X if it will bring Y
kant’s 1st categorical imperative
formula of the law of nature - whereby a maxim can be established as universal law.
some actions can be right/wrong despite the culture/circumstance at the time eg rape, or slavery which are always bad.
kant’s 2nd categorical imperative
formula of the end in itself - whereby people are treated as the ends in themselves not a means to an end.
Kant believed humans were the “pinnacle of creation”, therefore it can never be moral to exploit people to use them as a means to an end.
contrasts teleological thinking where the ends justify the means
kant’s 3rd categorical imperative
formula of the kingdom of ends - whereby a hypothetical ideal society of rationality is established
we should only include maxims that we would be willing to live by in a kingdom.
what is the summum bonum
the highest good - where true virtue, duty and happiness come together.
what are kant’s three postulates
- freedom - an action is only moral if that choice has been made freely rather than coerced.
- immortality - experience tells us that virtuous actions are not always rewarded by happiness, they may attract criticism or pain. since it is logical that perfect virtue ought to result in perfect happiness, it must exist - if it doesnt happen in this life, God must grant it to us in the next life.
- God - if there is another life in which humans can achieve immortality - then God is the “necessary connexion” between virtue and happiness.
kant is good x3
- clear
- secular
- not based on fleeting emotion + personal/national self-interest.
-human rights!
kant is bad x5
- inflexible eg stealing bread
- doesnt escape God - 3 postulates
- assumption of people’s capacity to reason
- conflicting duties - absolutism
- described as abstract form reality
applied Kantian ethics - Kuwait
British spies were placed on a flight into Kuwait in order to gather intel. However, citizens who were on this flight were taken hostage in the airport.
applied kantian ethics - coventry bombings
british intelligence couldnt alert coventry population to german bombers as they had aquired that knowledge through breaking the enigma code and couldn’t alert the germans to their discovery. this shortened the war approx 2 years. but had to treat people as a means to an end
what does sartre highlight and kant response
he challenges kantian ethics’ sense of duty by suggesting what would happen if you had two duties eg duty to fight the nazis but you also had a duty to care for your sick mother.
kant replies that you can reason your way into finding the correct moral action or you should attempt to do both.
what is goodwill says kant
a jewel
what does thomas aquinas write on the topic that humans’ innate a priori sense of right and wrong
he says there are ‘apparent goods’ and ‘real goods’ which are hard to distinguish
example of when humans are inconsistent in their views of right and wrong
abortion for non-religious motivations
euthanasia
what does kant reply to thomas aquinas about inconsistency and untrustworthyness
he says shtat goodwill is the only consistent idea as all humans have reason.
kant quote about duty
‘duty for duty’s sake’
what does fletcher say about kant
he leaves no room for emotion or love in moral decision-making which makes his theory cold and inhuman
AXE MURDERER ANALOGY by benjamin constant- an axe murderer comes to your door and asks the whereabouts of your friend who you now is in your house. you must tell him where your friend is despite the outcome as lying is bad
kant quote about lying
’ a lie is a lie and in itself intrinsically evil, whether it be told in good or bad intents’
a. c. Ewing critique of Kant
‘its hard to believe there is a duty to produce less good when we could produce more’
freud inconsistency
our moral thinking is due to our subconscious drives but kant is saying our moral thinking is due to our reason.
benjamin constant
axe murderer
macintyre critique of 1st formula
niche maxims
whilst it is cynical it is relevabt
fletcher mrs bergamier
woman is in labour camp and you cant leave only if youre pregnant. she goes to a guard to get him to impregnate her. this is bad to kant as youre using the man as a means to an end, but good to utilitarians as she has left.
acronym for kant
cold abstract people get inflexible cables
cold, abstract, people, god, inflexible, conflict
