Kantian Evaluation

• Is it a helpful method of moral decision making:

  • maxim cannot destroy itself -> stealing
  • Pojman -> not all examples are successful
  • Kant is against euthanasia, but his imperative is against suffering
  • categorical imperative doesn't force the opinion that everyone should be helped
  • raises status of human beings
  • might need to build exceptions
  • unconditional
• Should an ethical judgement be based on right or wrong, based on the extent to which duty is served:

  • strong emphasis on what is going on inside the person making moral decision
  • morality doesn't equal emotions or results
  • too idealised -> impossible to act for all sorts of reasons
  • falliable + prone to influences
  • struggle for individuals, inner purity of motivation
• Are Kantian ethics too abstract to be applicable to practical moral decision making?

  • attention on the worth of the person
  • unrealistic expectations as people are imperfect
  • treat people with respect - idealised view of life
  • faced with no win scenarios
  • emotional ethical theories can be selfish ]- Kantian ethics avoids this
  • development of the world - guid
• Is kantian ethics so reliant on reason that it unduly rejects the importance of other factors like love and empathy in moral decision making?

  • emotions are a fundamental part of human experience
  • feelings often motivate moral responses sense of loyalty or love for certain individuals
  • think beyond friends and family