Kantian Ethics Flashcards
1
Q
Good will
A
- an action is only good if a person acts from a sense of good will; “expect good will”
- other “talents of the mind” (wit/intelligence) are good if applied with good will
2
Q
Three formulations of the Categorical Imperative
A
- Universalisation: you should only carry out that action if you think every person should act in such a way
- Humans as a means to an end: “Act in such a way that you treat humanity… never merely as a means to an end, but always at the same time as an end.”
- The Kingdom of Ends: act as if everyone has the same human rights as you do
3
Q
His theory of duty
A
- deontological approach
- “do the right thing for the right reasons, because it is the right thing to do”
- duty is the only good reason for doing something right
- If you had another reason for acting other than duty, then you have acted in a morally corrupt way
- duty has to remain the operational reason
4
Q
Advantages for emphasis on reason
A
- we will always have and use our reasoning skills => will always be relevant
- nowadays we are placing more emphasis on science and evidence and aspiring to be rational creatures is in-keeping with this
- reason forces us to be objective => we make more considered and rational judgements
5
Q
Advantages of Categorical Imperative
A
It is still helpful for those who reject religion as you can just ignore the ‘summum bonum’ and still be in accordance with the principles
6
Q
Advantages of universalisability
A
- mirrors the golden rule of Christianity: “do unto others as you would be done unto”
- allows humankind to meet group interests and not just individual desires and fosters a sense of humanity that is much needed in today’s climate of war etc.
7
Q
Criticisms of Kant
A
- our reasoning is shaped by our environment and upbringing => no two people will apply it in the same way
- we grow to be ‘moral’ through making mistakes => proves humans are not intrinsically good
- Kant’s idea about the rationality of humans is too optimistic and unrealistic
- Kingdom of Ends seems so removed from our world that it does not seem achievable
- many educational initiatives to make young people aware of the consequences of their actions => these are a more important factor to consider
- too naive to say that duty will be enough to stop someone, for example, stealing
- We are fundamentally goal driven; a teleological approach is better for motivation amongst humans
8
Q
Embryology against Kant
A
- Kant would argue against be willing for a universal law that embryos be researched on as it could result in my own life never having started
- if a medical condition for a cure had been found through embryo research, it would surely be irrational for me to will that embryo research is not carried out as then my own life would be doomed to end => rationally speaking, consequences do matter
