The Summum Bonum

Question 1

What does Kant believe about morality?

Answer 1

Morality is reason put into practice

Question 2

What is a postulate?

Answer 2

A principle that can’t be doubted

Question 3

What do you need to work out 3 principles that you can accept without further evidence?

Answer 3

Reason

Question 4

What are the 3 postulates?

Answer 4

Freedom
Immortality
God

Question 5

What does acceptance of the 3 postulates mean?

Answer 5

You are aware of the summum bonum

Question 6

What does summum bonum mean?

Answer 6

Supreme happiness

Perfect justice

Question 7

Explain freedom

Answer 7

By freely choosing to follow your reason this allows you to become aware of the moral law.
These free actions that follow duty should get rewarded according to Kant. This is autonomous morality. This is why Kant disliked rule following systems (legalistic) where you just do something because of the rule and not free choice. This is heteronymous morality.

Question 8

Explain immortality

Answer 8

Kant argued that to claim your reward of free moral it needed to be in the after life when all actions had been done.
The summum bonum actually means perfect justice.
This does not exist here in this life, so must exist in the afterlife meaning we need immortal souls.

Question 9

Explain God

Answer 9

Kant argued that God is needed to ensure the Summun Bonum. This is because God is:
Omniscient = has the knowledge to reward good action
Omnipotent = has the power to reward good behaviour
Omnibenevolent = cares/loves people and so wants to reward good action
Kant argued that following reason led to moral behaviour, which then led to God. Christians would follow God’s rules to be moral, so stars with God whereas Kant ends with God.