Kantian Ethics Flashcards
Kant
Summum Bonum
Highest form of good - united virtue and happiness
All humans seek it with every action
Kant
Ethics
It is mans rationality that distinguishes is from any other creature
All of us reach the same conclusion when reason is used correctly
Universal
Kant
The goodwill
The only conceivable thing
Good will only achieved when one ignores inclinations and desires
Kant
Duty
Only acts done form duty are valid
We have an obligation to be moral
Kant
Hypothetical imperative
Conditional actions based on an If
If I want X I do Y
Kant
Categorical imperatives
The ought to do something regardless of desire
Out of duty to others
Kant
3 formulations of categorical imperative
Universal law principle
Your acts become a natural law
Humans are ends
Don’t use people
Kingdom of ends
Act as if you live in the perfect world
Kant
3 postulates
Humans and summum Bonum
Humans must have free will and consider universal laws to reach summum Bonum
Kant
3 postulates
Immortality
There must be immortality so we are rewarded in after life
Kant
3 postulates
God
Assumes god exists to impose absolute law
Criticism
Hegel
Universal law principle = useless
If we all helped the poor there would be no poor left to help
If world was perfect, goodwill would be impossible
Criticisms
Nietzsche
Assumes humans want to do good
Moral intuition is flawed
Criticisms
Mill
Is based on utilitarian values yet claims his conclusions come from
reason
