Kantianism/Deontology (Immanuel Kant and Onora O’Neill) Flashcards
The good will
The only intrinsic good is the “good will”
The only intrinsic good is the “good will”
- all other valuable things, even happiness and virtue, are only —- instrumental to facilitating the good will
- this is directly tied to the capacity to reason
- the will is directly tied to our rational capacities, our ability to act on reasons
The good will is good only through its willing, not because of what it effects or accomplishes
- even if it does not have the power to achieve its goal, and only willing remains, it has full value in itself that its usefulness or lack thereof does not increase or decrease
The good will is show in an action done from duty not just in accordance with duty
- From duty: you did the right thing because it was your duty because it was the right thing
- In accordance with duty: you did the right thing, but for some that had nothing to do with it being your duty
- represents an action as objectively necessary in itself, without reference to another end, as a result of reason alone
- the action is good in itself, result doesn’t matter
Categorical Imperative
Four formulations of the categorical imperative
- Universal Law Formula
- The Human Formula/The Formula of the End in itself
- Perfect duties
- Imperfect duties
- “Act only in accordance with that maxim through which you can at the same time will that it become a universal law”
- One must be able to will that the maxim of our action should be universal law
The Universal Law Formula
Is it morally acceptable to lie?
- Ask yourself: Would it possible for my maxim “I can lie to get out of difficult situations” to be held as a universal law for myself as well as others, so it becomes the law “Everyone can lie to get out of difficult situations?”
- No
- Why not? If this universal were held, then no one would ever believe you, so the maxim would destroy itself
- Universalizing the maxim creates a logical contradiction
- Lying is morally wrong
Examples of the Universal Law Formula
- “Act in such a way that you use humanity, as much in your own person as in the person of every other, always at the same time as an end and never merely as a means”
- To use someone as a mere means is to involve them in a scheme of action to which they could not in principle consent
- Doesn’t say there is anything wrong about using someone as a means
The Humanity Formula/The Formula of the End in itself
Is it morally acceptable to lie?
- Ask yourself: When I lie to someone, am I using them as a mere means to my ends, and not allowing them to rationally determine and pursue their own ends?
- Yes, because by its nature lying assumes the person would not consent to what you are doing if they knew
- You are preventing them from deciding something for themselves based on full information
- Kant argues that you can’t even lie to those intending to do harm
Example of the Humanity Formula
Kant argues that you can’t even lie to those intending to do harm
- Murderer trying to friend you’re hiding, you can’t lie to them about where your friend is
- You can do other things to help your friend (hide them, close the door, fight back, etc).
If you have a perfect duty not to do something, you can’t even think of it being a universal law without contradiction
Perfect Duties
If you have a perfect duty not to do something, you can think it without contradiction, but you can’t will it because the will would contradict itself
Imperfect duties
Example of perfect duty to oneself
Is it morally acceptable for a suicidal person to take their own life?
Maxim of perfect duty to oneself
“From self-love I make as my principle to shorten my life when its continued duration threatens more evil than it promises satisfaction”
