Glossary - Kantian Ethics

A priori

Knowledge which is not dependent on sense experience: ‘a circle is round’ is true by definition

A posteriori

Knowledge dependant on sense experience: ‘its foggy outside now’ - needs to be varified

Analytic

These statements must be true because their truth depends on the way words work

Synthetic

Statements that may be true or false, we need additional information from outside the experience

Moral Law

Binding moral obligations

Maxims

Another word for moral rules, determined by reason

Duty

Duties are created by the moral law, to follow it is our duty (deontological = duty-based)

Summum bonum

The highest, most supreme good

Good will

A person of good will is a person who makes decisions according to the moral law

Categorical imperative

An unconditional moral obligation that is always binding irrespective of a person’s inclination or purpose

Hypothetical imperative

A moral obligation that applies only if one desires the implied goal

Kingdom of ends

An imagined future in which all people act in accordance to the moral law, the categorical imperative