KANTIAN ETHICS Flashcards
(43 cards)
What did Kant believe humans seek?
An ultimate end - the supreme good - the “summum bonum”.
What can we work out using our reason?
What our duty is.
What is duty according to Kant?
Something we are required to do whether you want to or not, no matter how you feel about it.
What is the only thing that is totally and completely good?
A goodwill.
What does your will determine?
The morality of an act - the outcome.
What matters in terms of goodwill?
The intention not the outcome.
What are the three postulates?
- Freedom
- Immorality
- God
What did Kant believe the three postulates are a form of?
Reward for doing one’s duty.
What are hypothetical imperatives?
Imperatives that tell you what to do if you want to achieve something.
What is a categorical imperative?
Things which should be done without condition.
What are maxims?
The general rules with which we intend to act. You must apply maxims to the CI to see if they’re right/wrong actions.
What are the three formulations of the categorical imperative?
- ‘Principle of Universalisability’
- Treat people as ends in themselves.
- Act as if you live in a kingdom of ends.
What are the two types of contradiction? What do they mean? (1 CI)
- Contradiction in Conception = the maxim contradicts itself or an existing law of nature.
- Contradiction in Volition = the maxim can logically be applied, but as a rational human being, it makes no sense to.
What would be a contradiction of the will? (1 CI)
Where promises become meaningless.
What does Kant teach about the second formulation of the categorical imperative?
You can never treat people as means to an end - there can be no use of an individual for the sake of the many - as is the case with utilitarianism.
What does Kant teach about the third formulation of the categorical imperative?
Culmination of the two previous formulations.
Kant argues that to preserve the moral integrity of each individual, we must see every person as an “end”.
Give two strengths of Kantian Ethics.
- The CI is a powerful set of moral principles.
2. Kant’s theory makes a distinction between duty and inclination.
Give two weaknesses of Kantian Ethics.
- Sometimes duties conflict.
2. Acting out of a sense of ‘duty for duty’s sake’ is cold and impersonal.
Strengths of using our duty as a measure of good, bad, right or wrong (give two).
- Prevents decisions being influenced by emotions.
* Objective and absolute.
Problems with using our duty as a measure of good, bad, right or wrong (give two)
- Duty - too cold and impersonal.
* Too idealistic.
Reasons for suggesting that Kantian ethics so reliant on reason that it unduly rejects the importance of other factors, such as sympathy, empathy and love in moral decision-making (give two).
- Acting in a rational way when feelings/ loyalty are involved is difficult.
- Emotions – fundamental part of human experience.
Reasons for suggesting that Kantian ethics is right to rely on reason and to reject the other factors, such as sympathy, empathy and love in moral decision-making (give two).
- Protects against corruption.
* Selfish aims might be pursued otherwise.
What was Kant’s link to religion?
Kant did believe in God and an afterlife but he was suspicious of relying on religious doctrines and dogmas.
What does moral law tell us?
What to do irrespective of consequence.
