PHI Exam 2 - Kantian Ethics

Kantian ethics players

Kant (no lying)

Kantian ethics

What is my maxim (principle) for acting, could everyone act on it

Golden rule (fairness test)

treat others as you want to be treated

• Problems: masochists (enjoy pain)

• Fanatics (extremists)

What if everyone did that? (fairness test)

Problem: celibacy (unmarried, no sex)

Principle of universality

morally acceptable if maxim can be followed by everyone and still acheive it’s goal

• problem: maxim can be universalizable and immoral (Nazi ideals)

Hypthetical imperatives

based on personal desires, tells what to do to achieve

• Ex. lose weight then exercise

  • Wrongdoers who achieve goals are rational

Categorical imperatives

required, apply to all regardless of cares

• apply to all rational humans, God, etc

  • wrongdoers are always irrational

Good will

valuable “without limitation," good in and of itself, act FROM duty

Principle of humanity

treat people as ends (recognize preferences and desires and autonomy) NOT mere means (tools)

• “mere means” is to vague

  • does not give us a straightforward test for how to apply it

Paternalism

restrict another adults freedom for “their own good”

• limiting the liberty of others for their own good

Kant thought morality consists of _________

categorical imperatives because moral duties must be universal and rooted in reason

Detriments of Kantian Ethics

absolutism (no lying ever even if it saves a life), moral status of non-rational beings (animals, children)

Acting from duty

do duty for the sake of doing duty

Accordance with duty

doing right for some other reason (money, recognition, etc)

• Kant describes the prudent shopkeeper

Maxim

A principle upon which one bases one's action

• Ex. It’s okay to steal is you need to do so to feed your family

Kant thinks fundamental principle of morality is

1. Act only on maxims that you can at the same time will be universal laws.

2. Always treat humans as ends in themselves, never merely as means.

Which does Kant think has more moral worth: grudgingly giving money to charity because it is the right thing to do or happily giving money to charity because it makes you happy to help others?

Grudgingly giving money (act on maxim not on resulting feelings)

According to Kant (about the maxim / principle), the consequences of an action (consequentialism / utlilitarianism)

are irrelevant to the moral status of that action.

When Kant talks about humanity, to whom is he referring?

All and only those beings that possess autonomy and rationality

Autonomy is the ___________

ability to decide which principles will govern your life.

Unlike the principle of universalizability (what if everyone did that), the principle of humanity (treat as ends not mere means) can account for the immorality of ___________

the fanatic (extremist)