Kantian Ethics Flashcards
Kant - born
1724
What were the main influences on Kants work?
God, Freedom and rationalism
- makes an assumption that these things must exist
What did Kant object to? Why?
A desire based approach to morality - an approach he called the hypothetical imperative
the view states that ‘if you want (X) you ought to do (Y).’
Placed emphasis on the outcome & consequences which for him was wrong
What did Kantian ethics follow?
Kantian, deontological ethics placed emphasis on the action - on a good will (known as the intrinsically good for Kant) not on the outcome like the hypothetical imperative
- this is known as the categorical imperative
- ’ I ought to do (Y)
How do you make a moral decision in Kantian ethics?
- Use the Categorical imperative
- split into 3 formulations
- 1 - UNIVERSABILTY - act we do must be able to be applied at all times.
- 2 - ENDS NOT MEANS - Never exploit or use someone but treat them as an end in themselves
- KINGDOM OF ENDS - treat people as if they are rational human beings
Problem with the categorical imperative
- doing our duty and following the CI isn’t always easy and doesn’t always accord to our happiness.
- this is a problem as people need happiness in their lives and are more likely to do their duty if they’re happy.
Why do we do our duty not follow happiness?
- existence of God and immortality
- In the next world there is no conflict between ‘duty’ & ‘happiness’ as duty is part of the natural harmony of purposes created by god.
- so our aim in acting morally isn’t to be happy but worthy of being happy. If so we will achieve the highest good/Summon Bonum in the next life - so there must be an afterlife (hence the importance of immortality)
- consequentially morality leads to god
Why isn’t happiness the answer to morality?
- happiness in itself isn’t the answer / its not a reason for acting morale but a reward.
- since making a man happy is quite different from making him good.
What must we do in order to be moral?
- must exercise our free will, choose to use our good will and do our duty.
Who was W.D.Ross? and what did he say?
- criticism to Kantian ethics led Ross to change the basic theory
- argued for exceptions to duties - called prima facie duties (duties at first sight)
- these duties were obviously right and we instantly recognise them in situations
- He lists 7 classes of prima facie duties: duties of fidelity reparation, gratitude, justice, benevolence, self-improvement and non-malevolence
- these express the personal character of duty - but these do depend on situation
Problem with Ross’s theory?
He doesn’t explain how we actually know what a prima facie is
What religion was Kant?
Lutheran Christian - followed much of the bible and impacted his views strongly.
