Kantian Deontological Ethics

What does ‘Deontological’ mean and what approach are they?

What does ‘Deontological’ mean and what approach are they?

‘Deon’- one must or duty.

It is non-consequentialist.

What does Kant believe good will is?

It is the only ‘pure’ and unconditional good that is good in it’s self, other ends e.g happiness can sometimes be bad e.g someone may torture another person for their own happiness. therefore other ends are only conditional goods, and can only be considered good if they are accompanied with or result from good will.

Good will acts for the sake of duty, not motivation for an end goal.

1) Someone doing something has good will if they do that thing for the right reason. 2) The only right reason to do something is because it is your duty. 3) so, someone with good will does the right thing because it is there duty to do the right thing.

What does will mean and how is it different from a want?

A will is a want in action, it is the steps taken to bring about the want as well as the want. Wants are desires which aren’t acted upon.

What’s the difference between acting in accordance with moral duty and acting out of moral duty?

Acting out of moral duty is doing something because it is the right thing to do/ your duty. These acts carry moral worth.

Acting in accordance with duty is doing the right thing for the wrong reasons/ not out of duty. These acts carry no moral worth.

shop keeper example.

Why does Kant reward an act out of duty more highly than one which acts out of love and kindness?

Ought implied can. Morality can’t require us to feel a certain way or to want a certain thing because morality can only ask of us things that are in our power. You can’t chose your wants but you can chose your will. Therefore morality can require that you have certain wills and so take certain means.

What’s a weakness to this and how does Kant respond?

Christianity argues that the Bible assigns us with moral duty’s to love God and the neighbour. Kant argues that this isn’t emotional but is instead practical.

What’s Kants Categorical imperative- first formula?

Act only on that maxim which you could at the same time will to be a universal law.

What’s a perfect duty?

What’s an example?

Perfect duty’s must always be followed. If you cannot conceive of a world with the maxim as a law, you have a perfect duty to not act on it. Acting on it is always blameworthy.

Example: False promise, this isn’t conceivable as a universal law as its a contradiction.

What’s an imperfect duty?

What’s an example?

Acting on the maxim is sometimes wrong and so is sometimes blameworthy.

Example: Helping other. Maxim- not to help those in need even if possible to due to selfishness. It is conceivable but cannot be rationally willed for, therefore its an imperfect duty to not follow this maxim.

What’s an imperative?

A command.

What’s a hypothetical imperative?

A conditional command, which is in the form ‘if…,then…’ The ought is conditional upon the desire, if the desire goes, so does the imperative. Kant doesn’t focus on these are they lack the universality to be moral imperatives.

What are categorical imperatives?

Categorical imperatives are unconditional and absolute moral command that apply universally, regardless of personal desires or goals. They tell us to act morally and out of a sense of duty.

How does Kantian Deontological ethics apply to the false promise?

1) Maxim- when in need make promises with no intention of keeping them

2) can a world with this maxim be conceived? No, it is a contradiction, if anyone could/did falsely promises, there would be no such thing/ belief in promises and so the man couldn’t make a false promise. Therefore, we have a perfect duty to not follow this maxim.

What is the second formulation of the categorical imperative/ the humanity formulation in Kants words?

‘Act in such a way that you treat humanity, whether in your own person or in the person or any other, never merely as means to an end, but always at the same time as an end.

What does the second formulation/ humanity formulation mean?

It expresses the idea that it is always wrong to treat any person (including yourself) in a way that involves them in an action that they do not, in principle, have a chance to consent to. You cannot reduce somebody to being a mean and use them as a tool to reach your goal. without their consent as this undermines their autonomy/ rationality. Instead you need their consent, to treat them well and adopt their own ends as our own, as we have a duty to promote others happiness.

What’s are examples of 1) using someone but not as a mere means

2) using someone as a mere means

1) Teacher- has freely consented to teach and using the students as a means (employment)

2) Buying a good with fake money