Kant ethics

What does Kant mean by acting out of duty?

Doing what is good because its good, and for no other reason

What does Kant mean by acting in accordance with duty?

Doing the right thing, but for a non-moral reason (praise)

What is meant by a ‘good will’?

The only thing that is intrinsically good, good without qualification.

What is are hypothetical imperatives?

Commands that tell you what to do if you want a certain goal

What are categorical imperatives?

Commands that tell you what to do regardless of your personal desires or goals

Example of a categorical imperative

Do not lie

Example of a hypothetical imperative

If you want to get fit, then you should exercise

What is the first formulation of the categorical imperative?

We should only act accordingly to maxims that could be universally applied, if a maxim cannot be universalised without contradiction, it is morally wrong

What is contradiction in conception?

When the maxim cannot logically work if universalized

What is contradiction in will?

When the maxim could exist logically but you cannot rationally will it because it conflicts with something necessary for your own rational goals

What is the second formulation of the categorical imperative?

Every human has intrinsic worth because we are rational beings, you must not use people merely as tools to achieve your own goals, moral action requires respect of others’ autonomy

How is clashing/competing duties and issue?

Kant assumes duties never conflict because they are derived from universal moral laws. In reality, duties often clash. Kant offers no clear way to resolve this.

What are perfect duties?

Absolute, exception-less duties that must always be followed. They arise form maxims that cannot be universalised without contradiction.

What are imperfect duties?

Duties that allow flexibility in how and when they are fulfilled. They arise form maxims that can be universalised but cannot be willed as universal laws without contradiction in the will.

Why might some universalisable maxims not be moral?

A maxim like ‘always wear pink shirts on Friday’, is universalisbale but morally trivial

Why might some non-universalisable maxims not be immoral?

A maxim like, ‘everyone should be a doctor’, is impossible to universalise but not immoral-just impractical

What is the criticism that consequences determine moral value?

Ignoring consequences leads to morally count-intuitive results e.g telling the truth even when it causes harm

Why is ‘ignoring consequences’ a challenge to Kant?

Kant says consequences have no moral relevance, critics say this is unrealistic and this ethically dangerous because humans cannot ignore real-world outcomes and strictly following duty can lead to preventable harm

What is the criticism about valuable motives?

Kant claims that actions motivated by love, compassion, or friendship lack moral worth

Why is Kant claim about actions motivated by love, compassion or friendship lacking moral worth seen as counter intuitive?

We usually think loving or compassionate motives do make actions morally better not worse, this implies that Kant overvalues cold rational duty and undervalues human relationships and emotions

What is Philippa Foot’s main argument?

Morality is based on human desires, needs, and interests - therefore it functions like a system of hypothetical imperatives, not categorical ones

How does Philippa Foot challenge the categorical imperative?

She claims that unless someone cares about moral considerations, there is no rational reason forcing them to obey