Modern Kantian Ethics

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MODERN KANTIAN ETHICS

W.D.ROSS

Criticised Kantian Ethic for three main reasons:

Building on the intuitions from G.E.Moore, he disputed whether reason dictates that moral acceptability relates to the universalizability of maxims, that the only good motive is to do duty for its own sake and that moral rules must be absolute and infelxible.

Ross tried to do justice to the complexity of life, there are several intrinsic goods, not just a good will, and that there are many different moral requirements, not just the Categorical Imperative. Things cannot be simplified of formalised into a single moral principle.

At least 7 Prima Facie duties:

Fidelity

Gratitude

Justice

B

Reparation

H

These duties are neither absolute a prioris or pragmatic. Rather, they present themselves prima facie, as evidence which seems sufficient to prove a case unless or until it is rebutted; all our experience points to the reality of these duties regardless of the immediate consequences of following them, so it is reasonable to say that they exist unless a convincing case is made to the contrary.

Kant is wrong to ignore the special duties people have to their family, friends, or those with whom they have contracted promises. Whereas Kant argues that we should treat all human beings equally, admitting no preferences, Ross argues that this is unrealistic and would require people to cut themselves off from society. (LAFOLLETTE)

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