Kantian Ethics Flashcards
when was Kant born and when did he die?
1724-1804
where was Kant from?
Germany
list 3 key works of Kant
- Groundwork for the Metaphysics of Morals (1797)
- Critique of Practical Reason (1788)
- The Metaphysics of Morals (1797)
what did Kant believe moral knowledge could be known?
through reason
what did Kant believe moral knowledge as based on?
- a priori
- synthetic
define moral law
binding moral obligations
define maxims
moral laws
define duty
obligations for us created by moral law
define summum bonum
highest, most supreme good
define good will
making decisions based on moral law
define categorical imperative
unconditional moral obligation that is always binding irrespective of a person’s inclination or purpose
define hypothetical imperative
moral obligation that applies only if one desires the implied goal
define kingdom of ends
imagined future in which all people act in accordance to categorical imperative
what does Kant think morals are?
universal maxims
for kant, what do good people do?
always follow moral law
what type of ethical thinker is Kant?
deontological
what did Kant think about if our morality is driven by desire for pleasure?
we are slaves to animal instinct
what does goodness become if our morality is driven by desire for pleasure, to Kant?
goodness becomes whatever we desire or impulsively want
what does Kant make a distinction between animals and humans?
capacity to reason “ratio”
what does rationality allow us to do?
frees us to be able to act independently of instinct or desire for pleasure
what are humans free to pursue?
summum bonum
what key ideas of Kant’s theories are connected?(7)
- moral law
- good will
- duty
- summum bonum
- categorical imperative
- freedom
- knowledge
fill in the gaps: “two things fill the ____ with… __________…the starry _______ above me and the _____ ___ within me.” Kant (_______ __ ____ ______)
“two things fill the mind with…admiration…the starry heavens above me and the moral law within me.” Kant (Critique of Pure Reason)
what is the objective moral law irrespective of?
individual opinion
what does Kant’s theory focus on, as opposed to?
the moral actions in themselves, rather than consequences
fill in the gaps: “It is __________ to conceive of anything in the _____, or indeed out of it, which can be called ____ without ____________, save only a ____ ____.” Kant (_________ of the ___________ of ______)
“It is impossible to conceive of anything in the world, or indeed out of it, which can be called good without qualification, save only a good will.” Kant (Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Morals)
what is good will in accordance w/?
duty
what makes an action good?
if it is done out of moral duty, not for any alternative reasons
explain the shopkeeper example
the shopkeeper who is honest and gives the right change back because it is the right thing to do, not to increase profits or to look good
what should not drive our moral thinking?
emotions
fill in the gaps “To do ____ to ______, where one can, is a ____”
“To do good to others, where one can, is a duty”
list some specific duties Kant says we have to ourselves and others (5)
- innate right to freedom
- not to commit suicide
- not to destroy/limit others
- not to make false promises
- avoid drunkeness
what does Kant think the state should ensure?
ensure rights are protected and suitable
what did Kant develop a system for?
determining whether moral maxim meets criteria for his moral law or not
what does Kant think we can separate?
knowledge
how many groups does K separate knowledge into and what are they?
1 - knowledge arising from sense perception and exp
2 - knowledge a first hand, before sense perception and exp
what type of knowledge can be gained from our sense?
empirical
what is a priori knowledge?
knowledge prior to relying on exp
Fill in the gaps: “though all our _________ begins with __________, it does not _______ that it all ______ out of experience” Kant (________ of ____ ______)
“though all our knowledge begins with experience, it does not follow that it all arises out of experience” Kant (Critique of Pure Reason)
fill in the gaps: _____ knowledge comes from _______ and is _ _____, perceivable at first _____
moral knowledge comes from within and is a priori, perceivable at first sight
why must the ML be synthetic a priori?
ML must be synthetic a prior as this means it is part of each person’s reason and mind. This means that we are able to have freedom and autonomy over our decisions - we do not need to be told by others how to act, as this would lead to heteronomy where someone else is making your decisions for you
why does K think moral propositions must be synthetic?
our knowledge is used to deduce whether something is moral or not
what statements are conditional?
hypothetical
what does the hypothetical imperative command?
behaviour for an end
why are hypothetical statements conditional?
it only commands us if we have accepted the desired end
what imperative does K reject and why?
rejects hypothetical imperative because we should look to moral law which binds us unconditionally
fill in the gaps: “…if the action is ___________ as good in itself in ___________ with ______, then the _________ is __________.” Kant (_________ of the ____________ of _______)
“…if the action is represented as good in itself in accordance with reason, then the imperative is categorical.” Kant (Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Morals)
what is categorical?
moral knowledge
what does the categorical imperative command?
to exercise our will in a certain way irrespective of any end
what are the 3 formulas in the CI?
- universalisable
- never treat people as means to an end
- act as if we live in a kingdom of ends
what is the formula of universal law of nature?
“Act only according to that maxim by which you can at the same time will that it should become a universal law” — our moral behaviour must be consistent throughout our life and everyone else’s
fill in the gaps: “Every _____ is right if it or its _____ allows each person’s _________ of choice to ______ with the ________ of everyone in ___________ with a _________ law” Kant (___________ of the ___________ of ______)
“Every action is right if it or its maxim allows each person’s freedom of choice to coexist with the freedom of everyone in accordance with a universal law” Kant (Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Morals)
in 1797, which French philosopher argued the duty to always tell the truth would make any society impossible?
Benjamin Constant
what did Benjamin argue and when?
1797 — argued the duty to always tell the truth would make any society impossible
what was Kant’s response to Constant arguing “no one has the right to a truth that harms others”?
“For a lie always harms another…it vitiates the very source of right”
explain the example that Kant and Constant argued about? what did they say about it?
whether it is right to lie to someone who is going to kill your friend but you are protecting them in the house. K would say that you must tell the truth because you are taking away someone else’s right to act freely and if you lie then whatever happens next, the burden would fall on you. Constant would argue that in order to protect your friend, you should lie about their whereabouts.
Fill in the gaps: “To be _________ in all declarations is, therefore, a ______ and _______________ commanding law of _______ that admits of no _________ whatsoever.” Kant
“To be truthful in all declarations is, therefore, a sacred and unconditionally commanding law of reason that admits of no expediency whatsoever.” Kant
what is the formula of the end in itself?
“Act in such a way that you always treat humanity…never simply as a means, but always at the same time as an end.”
why shouldn’t we use people as a means to an end? (2)
- these actions have no regard for the intrinsic quality of the humans involved and their freedom
- humans are rational agents capable of free will
What did K’s ethics particularly influence?
Catholic moral thought in 20th century, especially around supremacy of human life and need for universal laws
Fill in the gaps: “Anyone who treats a _______ as the _____ to an ___ does ________ to the very ________ of the _____…” John Paul II (Love and Responsibility)
“Anyone who treats a person as the means to an end does violence to the very essence of the other…” John Paul II (Love and Responsibility)
who said this and in what book? “Anyone who treats a person as the means to an end does violence to the very essence of the other…”
John Paul II (Love and Responsibility)
what is the formula of the kingdom of ends?
“…every rational being must so act as if he were through his maxims always a law-making member in the universal kingdom of ends.” Kant
what formula is this? “Act only according to that maxim by which you can at the same time will that it should become a universal law” — our moral behaviour must be consistent throughout our life and everyone else’s
formula of the universal law of nature
what does Kant believe we shouldn’t base our universal rules on?
we shouldn’t base our universal rules on uniform degradation
what makes universal disregard for people impossible to be a moral maxim, for Kant?
Kant’s thinking on the significance of the human person as a rational lawmaker makes this impossible as a moral maxim
what must we imagine, where we are searching for universal laws?
the kingdom of ends
what are the 3 postulates?
- freedom
- god
- immortality
what postulate is at the core of K’s ethics?
freedom/autonomy
how does K describe freedom? (2)
- “the highest degree of life”
- “the inner worth of the world”
what does freedom mean to K?
freedom to choose moral law over our instinct or desire
how do rational creatures gain freedom?
by adopting a formal law of action whereby principles are universalised
how are moral choices possible?
only if people are free to make them
what do we need to be free to fulfil?
our duty
what does K ethics look towards?
a perfect freedom
why must immortality of the soul be postulated? (2)
- to allow for the correct happiness to be ensured beyond this life
- so sacrificial acts of duty are possible
what elements of K’s ethics relates to God? (3)
- idea of eternal law
- idea that humans are created as rational creatures
- idea that sometimes doing the right thing does not lead to the greatest happiness in this world
what did K believe God would ensure at the end and why?
the world was arranged correctly to ensure highest good in the end because God recognises the striving that humans have undertaken
