Kantian Ethics

• Keywords

  • duty - moral requirement
  • absolutist
  • deontological, focuses on the action
  • maxim - moral rules that we must act upon
  • a priori - knowledge by fact and definition, no experience needed
  • a posteriori - knowledge through experience
  • rationalist - uses reason to make decisions
  • summum bonum - highest good, can only be achieved in another life
• Imperatives

  Hypothetical - must obey if we want an outcome

  Categorical - we must obey, using reason
• Categorical Imperative

  3 forms -

  1. universal law, can be applied to all
  2. person as ends, don't use people as it is our duty to care
  3. kingdom as ends, act morally and act as law makers in the kingdom of ends
• Kant

  • 'life without reason and morality has no value'
  • 'all rational beings have the duty to behave morally'
  • ignores emotional ties
  • we all have a similar idea of reason
• pros

  • absolutist
  • prioritised morals
  • treats people as ends, eg. against exploitation
  • rational
• cons

  • absolutist, rigid
  • maxims, could be illegal
  • avoids family ties, unrealistic