Kantianism

Question 1

What does deontological mean?

Answer 1

The morality of an action is held in the action, regardless of the consequences.

Question 2

What type of theory is Kantianism?

Answer 2

Deontological because for Kant, the motivation is what matters, not the consequences.

Question 3

Who was Immanuel Kant

Answer 3

• He was a German philosopher

Question 4

What are the three features of kantianism?

Answer 4

• Deontological
• Sovereignty of reason
• The Good Will

Question 5

What does it mean to act freely?

Answer 5

Kant believes that every human is capable of thinking.

Question 6

What is Autonomy?

Answer 6

When an individual acts according to a law that they give themselves

Question 7

What is heteronomy?

Answer 7

When an individual acts according to their desires that they haven’t chosen themselves.

Question 8

What does Kant mean by acting out of inclination?

Answer 8

Kant believes that if you act purely out of inclination then the action has no positive moral worth because you aren’t choosing what to do.

Question 9

Why does Kant say that acting freely is acting out of duty?

Answer 9

Kant says that by acting freely, you are acting according to a law you have given yourself . Therefore you are just acting out of duty.

Question 10

What is the shopkeeper analogy?

Answer 10

When an inexperienced customer walks into a shop and buys something and since the customer is inexperienced, the owner has the opportunity to short change them. The shop keeper deliberates but decides against it because if people found out, the shop and the owner’s reputation will be damaged

Question 11

What is the purpose of the shopkeeper analogy?

Answer 11

To show that if we have the wrong reasons for doing something, it makes the action immoral but if we have the right reasons, then the action would be moral.

Question 12

What does Sovereignty of Reason mean?

Answer 12

Reason alone should inform moral decision making. We should follow moral rules because it is logical to do so.

Question 13

What does the Good Will mean?

Answer 13

This means doing something good should not rely on consequences or inclination. Kant says the only good thing “without qualification” is the good will.

Question 14

What is the hypothetical imperative?

Answer 14

This means to do a duty out of self interest or inclination and it is conditional.

Question 15

What is the categorical imperative?

Answer 15

This is when you follow a rule out of obligation regardless of self interest or inclination.

Question 16

What is a maxim?

Answer 16

A general moral rule.

Question 17

When faced with a moral dilemma, Kant says you should…

Answer 17

1. Locate the maxim, e.g to lie
2. Universalise the maxim
3. Find out if there’s a contradiction in conception - is it possible to live in a world where the maxim is universalised?
4. Find out if there’s a contradiction in will - even if it is logically possible, it is rationally problematic?

Question 18

What is perfect duty?

Answer 18

We have a perfect duty to never follow a maxim that leads to a contradiction in conception when universalised. E.g do not lie, do not steal, do not kill. This means that we must never do these things under any circumstance.

Question 19

What is imperfect duty?

Answer 19

We have an imperfect duty to not follow a maxim that leads to a contradiction in will when universalised. E.g give money to charity, help the poor. This means that we should do it on occasion, when it does not conflict with our perfect duties.

Question 20

What is Summum Bonum

Answer 20

This good must be good in itself and the highest good. Kant calls this the Summum Bonum. The highest good cannot be anything that depends on the results or consequences it produces.

Question 21

What are the strengths of Kantianism?

Answer 21

• Easily shows the fatal flaw of consequentialist theories - a bad act can have good consequences. Kant’s theory doesn’t make this mistake.
• We are only judged on the things we can control, our actions and our intentions - consequences are not morally important.

Question 22

What are the weaknesses of Kantianism?

Answer 22

• There are some occasions when consequences are so severe that it is better to break a rule than allow awful things to happen.
• Humans naturally think about consequences when making moral decisions therefore it is more realistic to think about them in real life situations.
• Kantian ethics are unreliable in real life and high stress situations because the ability to think with reason and logic kicks in too late and it is human nature to act out of inclination and think about consequences.

Question 23

What is Kant’s second formulation?

Answer 23

Never use someone as a means to an end because Kant thinks that every human has value because we have rational thoughts, this is what separates us from animals. We are allowed to use animals as a means to and end because they don’t think rationally.

Question 24

Finish the quote… “Animals…”

Answer 24

“… are there merely as a means to an end. That end is man”