Main Flashcards
What problem did Enlightenment thinkers like Kant aim to solve with reason-based ethics?
The problem of religious conflicts and the lack of agreement among people of different faiths
What is the counter to Kant’s idea of basing ethics on reason instead of faith?
Some argue that reason alone cannot capture the full range of human moral experiences and that faith provides a necessary foundation for moral values.
How does Kant counter the argument that reason alone cannot capture moral experiences?
Kant posits that reason discovers universal laws that are not subject to personal feelings or desires, ensuring consistent and objective morality.
What is a Good Will according to Kantian ethics?
A Good Will is the intention to perform one’s duty purely out of respect for the moral law.
What is the counter to the concept of Good Will in Kantian ethics?
Critics argue that actions motivated by personal feelings or desires can also be morally valuable and genuine.
How does Kant defend against the criticism that personal feelings can be morally valuable?
Kant maintains that while actions motivated by feelings may align with duty, they do not have moral worth unless performed out of respect for the moral law.
What is a categorical imperative according to Kant?
A moral action that is necessary and must be followed universally, regardless of personal desires.
What is the counter to the concept of categorical imperatives?
Some argue that moral actions should take into account specific contexts and outcomes, making hypothetical imperatives more practical.
How does Kant respond to the criticism favoring hypothetical imperatives over categorical imperatives?
Kant argues that hypothetical imperatives are conditional and cannot provide a stable foundation for universal moral laws, which categorical imperatives do.
What is the first formulation of the categorical imperative?
“Act only according to that maxim by which you can at the same time will that it should become a universal law.”
What is a counterargument to the first formulation of the categorical imperative?
Some actions that can be universalized may still be trivial or non-moral, questioning the formulation’s effectiveness.
How does Kant address the issue of trivial or non-moral maxims passing the universalizability test?
Kant’s second formulation, which requires treating people as ends and not merely as means, helps filter out non-moral or trivial actions.
What is the second formulation of the categorical imperative?
“Always treat persons, whether in yourself or others, always as an end, never merely as a means.”
What is the counter to the second formulation of the categorical imperative?
Critics argue that this formulation can be too rigid and may not account for complex human interactions where treating someone as a means might be necessary.
How does Kant defend the second formulation against criticism of rigidity?
Kant asserts that it is acceptable to treat someone as a means, as long as they are also treated as an end and their autonomy is respected.
What is the third formulation of the categorical imperative?
Act as if you were a legislating member in the universal kingdom of ends.
What is a counterargument to the third formulation of the categorical imperative?
Some argue it is unrealistic to expect individuals to always act as if they were in a perfect moral world.
How does Kant respond to the criticism of the third formulation being unrealistic?
Kant believes striving to act as if we live in a kingdom of ends provides a guiding ideal that promotes moral behavior and societal improvement.
What are the three postulates of Kantian ethics?
God, immortality of the soul, and free will.
What is the counter to the necessity of the three postulates in Kantian ethics?
Critics argue that moral reasoning should not rely on metaphysical assumptions that are not universally accepted or provable.
How does Kant justify the necessity of the three postulates in ethics?
Kant argues that these postulates provide a coherent framework for justice and moral accountability, which are essential for a functioning ethical system.
What is the issue of clashing duties in Kantian ethics?
Clashing duties occur when two or more duties conflict, making it impossible to fulfill both simultaneously.
What is the counter to Kant’s handling of clashing duties?
Critics argue that Kantian ethics cannot resolve situations where duties genuinely conflict, undermining its practical applicability.
How does Kant address the problem of clashing duties?
Kant distinguishes between perfect and imperfect duties, suggesting that imperfect duties have multiple means of fulfillment, allowing for resolution of conflicts.
