Kantian ethics article

• what is Kantian ethics?

  -Kantian ethics are a set of universal moral principles that apply to all human beings, regardless of context or situation

  -Immanuel Kant, a German philosopher, calls the principles Categorical Imperatives, which are defined by their morality and level of freedom
• who was Immanuel Kant?

  -Immanuel Kant (Prussia, 1724-1804) was one of the most influential intellectuals in the field of political philosophy

  -today, justice systems in democracies are fundamentally based on Kant’s writings

  -the philosopher’s work provides a compelling account of a single set of moral principles that can be used to design just institutions for governing society perfectly.

  -the United Nations, formed centuries after Kant’s first book was published, is largely based on his vision of an international government that binds nation-states together and maintains peace
• key ideas

  -morality of an action depends on a moral law that is universal & absolute & not on the consequences of the action

  -main idea is the categorical imperative (most famous categorical imperative is that a person should only act in a way that they would want everyone else to act)

  -people who live by Kantian ethics believe in upholding moral laws & duties

  -morality is founded in rationality & any ethical principles must apply both universally and unconditionally
• categorical imperatives

  -hypothetical imperative is a moral obligation applicable only in pursuit of a predetermined goal

  --> independent of morality

  -our moral duties are driven by categorical imperatives

  -categorical as universally applicable to every person in every situation

  -imperative as a human may be inclined not to adhere to a moral code of conduct (humans seek pleasure & want to reduce pain)

  -Kant considered self-improvement & preservation to be an undebatable obligation that is placed on everyone

  --> unproductivity, suicide, or any form of self-destruction inherently immoral
• Kant's definite of morality

  -deontological normative theory

  --> motive & not consequence of an action determines its moral value

  -one must never treat another human as a means to some greater end

  -humans, by virtue of their unique ability to reason, are different from other forms of physical existence

  -Kant wrote that “without rationality, the universe would be a waste, in vain, and without purpose”

  -respect essential to humanity, which is different from sentiments like love, sympathy, or altruism
• autonomy & freedom

  -'The Critique of Pure Reason'  considered history’s most comprehensive account of the determination of free will

  -Kant talked about freedom as something of one’s own making

  -free will becomes a 'freedom to' autonomously determine & impose moral requirements (like JJR)

  -when one acts in accordance with desires/ intuition, simply acting to satisfy a necessity

  --> makes a slave to impulse. Notion of freedom is different from libertarianism

  -rationality is universal, & as long as morality is derived from reason, there should be an objective sense of what is virtuous
• strengths

  -impartiality-emphasis on universal principles nurtures impartiality & consistency in making moral judgments

  -respect for individuals-upholds the intrinsic value of individuals, emphasising that people should never be treated as a means to an end

  -focus on moral clarity-Kant’s ethical framework provides a rational way to evaluate the morality of an action based on principle rather than outcome

  -emphasis on autonomy & rationality-respects the moral agency of individuals and promotes actions based on rationality rather than on emotions or external influences