Moral Philosophy - Kantian Deontological Ethics Flashcards
Deontology
Meaning ‘duty’. A duty based ethical system.
Will
The capacity to make choices on the basis of reasons. Animals can want things, but only humans can will them.
Good Will
The only thing with intrinsic value.
Maxim
The principle or guiding intention behind an action.
Universability
The test of whether a maxim can be consistently applied to everyone without involving a contradiction. This shows which actions are morally permissible.
Hypothetical Imperative
Commands to do an action on the basis of having a desired end. “If you want y, then do x.” A conditional command which only applies to those who will the end.
Categorical Imperative
An unconditional command which applies to everyone regardless of their chosen ends eg don’t steal. The supreme principle of morality.
First Formulation of the Categorical Imperative
‘Act only on that maxim which you can, at the same time, will to be a universal law.’
Don’t act in a way which you could not accept anyone else acting, at the same time as you are.
Second Formulation of the Categorical Imperative
‘Act so that you treat humanity, whether in your own person or in that of another, always as an end and never as a means only.’
Don’t treat anyone, including yourself, in a way that disregards their dignity and uses them simply as a means to an end.
Contradiction in conception
A maxim which cannot be universalised into a universal law without contradicting itself eg make false promises to get you way, because in a world where everybody did this, promising would be impossible.
Contradiction in the will
A maxim which, although it is not self-contradictory, cannot be consistently willed eg don’t help others; A world is possible in which no one helped anyone, but no one would will to live in this type of world.
Acting in accordance with duty
Do what is morally required, but for the wrong reason eg a shopkeeper who gives customers the right change to gain a good reputation and in turn increase profits.
Acting out of duty
Doing what is morally right for the right reasons eg a shopkeeper who gives customer the correct change because they have a duty to be honest.
Proof that moral judgements are categorical not hypothetical. (statement)
1) All duties take the form of imperatives (commands)
2) Some duties apply only to those who will relevant ends. They produce hypothetical imperatives eg IF you want to pass the exam, revise.
3) But, because morality is universal in scope, them moral duties apply to everyone irrespective of what they want.
4) So moral duties are unconditional and thus categorical.
Proof that only a good will has intrinsic value (statement)
1) A good will is a will which wills to do what duty requires.
2) Other valuable things eg power can be used immorally, but a good will is always good.
3) The value of a good will is independent of consequences. A good will is still praiseworthy if it achieves nothing.
4) So, only a good will is intrinsically valuable.
Perfect duties
Absolute prohibitions eg don’t lie has no exceptions. (contradictions in conception)
Imperfect duties
General guidelines Eg help others has some leeway. (contradictions in the will)
The issue of clashing duties (against Kant)
Sometimes you have more than one duty, so how would you which one to choose? eg Kant’s Axe, you have a duty not to lie, but you also have a duty to preserve life.
The categorical imperative is not the best test (against Kant)
This particularly attacks the first formulation. Some maxims aren’t universalisable but aren’t immoral eg always let others into the room first. Also, come maxims are universalisable and are immoral.
Consequences do count (against Kant)
Our intuition tells us that consequences do matter, so Kant is going against our basic intuition eg lying in the Kant’s Axe example would bring the most happiness.
Morality as a system of hypothetical imperatives (Philippa Foot) (against Kant)
When Kant gives the categorical imperative ‘do your duty’, he is actually giving the hypothetical command, ‘do your duty if you care about being a good person.’ People are motivated to their duty because they want to be a morally good person which is HYPOTHETICAL.
Kant ignores the value of certain motives (against Kant)
Kant says we should only be motivated by our duties, but we are motivated also by things sch as love on kindness. Eg a dad who plays with his child out of love is better than a dad who plays with his child out of duty.
