E5.1 deontology

• Categorical imperative: a command that says ‘do this’; forms the basis of Kantian ethics
• Good will: in Kantian ethics, the only truly good thing – when we do something with a good will it is moral and we do it because of our duty
• Hypothetical imperative: in Kantian ethics, an imperative that depends on you and the situation – for example, if you want to drive a car, take lessons
• Moral relativism: the idea that ethical or moral statements do not reflect universal objective truths but make claims relative to social, historical, cultural, etc
• Prima facie duty: for Ross, a binding and obligatory duty, unless overridden by another duty
• Universalisability: the idea that you should want the maxims followed to apply to everyone at all times (1st formulation of Kant's categorical imperative)
• Give a response to this criticism of KE:

  too rigid - leads to immoral acts, axe murderer critique

  Nagel: UT = agent-neutral as remove self from mathematical equation. Ke can be more personal - obj morality but duties not fixed: apply reasoning to develop over time + personal commitments to duty