3 insights form the basis for his theory An action has moral worth if it is done for the sake of duty DUTY An action is morally correct if its maxim can be willed as a universal law UNIVERSALIZABILITY ID: 271864
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Slide1
Kant’s Ethics of Duty
3 insights form the basis for his theory
An action has moral worth if it is done for the sake of duty. (
DUTY)
An action is morally correct if its maxim can be willed as a universal law. (
UNIVERSALIZABILITY)
We should always treat humanity, whether in ourselves or other people, as an end in itself and never merely as means to an end. (
RESPECT
) Slide2
The Ethics of Duty
Acting for the sake of duty is
:
Acting without self-interest
Acting without concern for consequences
Acting without inclination [
downplays the role of compassion
]Slide3
How Christianity changed ethics
In the
Christian
view
to
act morally
a person must
see the act is right
(i.e., it is commanded by GOD) and must
do the act
because
they see it is right
.
For Kant
Reason
, not God, is the source of the moral law. We can rephrase the above as:
to
act morally
a person must
see the act is right
(i.e., it is commanded by REASON) and must
do the act
because
they see it is right
.
Slide4
The "good will" and duty...
Kant believed that only a GOOD WILL is morally valuable.
A
good will
knows what its duty is (
that is, the good will knows what reason commands it to do.
)
And the
good will DOES
the dutiful act because the good will is dutiful.Slide5
An Act Must Be Done
From Principle
In order for an act to be done from principle there must be a thought-out rule.
And you must perform the act
because
you see it is an INSTANCE of the rule.
From slide 3: “to
act morally
a person must
see the act is right
(i.e., it is commanded by REASON) and must
do the act
because
they see it is right
. “Slide6
The "Categorical Imperative"
The Categorical Imperative is the means by which we determine what the moral law is.
It states
:
"I ought never to act except in such a way that I can also will that my maxim should become a universal law.”
It means
:
that we have to be willing for others to use the same moral law that we are using.Slide7
The Second Formulation of the “Categorical Imperative”
We should respect all human beings impartially
.
Because human beings exist as
“ends in themselves”
we should never use them as
“mere means.”
Kant’s argument is based on our rationality.
[
This is what sets us aside from those things that are what he calls “objects of inclination
.”]
The 2 formulations of the “Categorical Imperative” are basically the same according to Kant. How so?Slide8
Using others as “mere means” : What does it mean?
Whether we are using a person as a “mere means” can be hard to determine as our motives are often mixed, but a “mere means” situation may involve the following characteristics:
deception about true motives
profiting at another person’s expense
undermining a person’s chance to make an informed choice [
tied to deception
]
violating certain other maxims we haveSlide9
A Brief Summary
1. The moral law is commanded by reason.
2. What makes an action morally right is that you have a moral maxim that you can universalize.
3. It is also wrong to treat people as “mere means”
Kant focuses on universality and impartiality
And these are conditions that are necessary for people to be treated
“freely & equally” -- i.e. with
RESPECTSlide10
Kant: Pro & Con
Pro
:
It is admirable to act from duty
Morality should be evenhanded
The importance of respect for other persons
Con
:
Maintains the split between duty and inclination
Ignores the role of the emotions in morality
Ignores the place for consequences in moralitySlide11
What ways are available to resolve moral problems so far?
Evaluate the consequences of the alternatives. [UTILITARIANISM]
Believe that the right action will flow from our having formed good moral habits [ARISTOTLE]
Act from the correct motive [KANT]
MOTIVES: can be based in feeling or reason
Kant believes that REASON makes more stable, universal & impartial decisions possibleSlide12
KANT Summary
We are to act on the
basis of duty
[
what reason commands
]
It is the
good will
that reason creates that enables us to do this.
Our
reverence for the moral law
will help us find what our duty is.
Instead of looking at
consequences
use the following
principles
.
Can you universalize your moral maxim?
Are you using a person as a “mere means”?Slide13
Ask yourself …
What do Kant’s 2 principles ensure about the decision we make ? That it is --
STABLE [
reason not emotion; also not consequences
]
UNIVERSAL [
everyone could use your maxim
]
IMPARTIAL [
reason & universalizability
]
OBJECTIVE [
reason & no emotion
]