Kant

Kant

1. Believed in an objective right and wrong based on REASON.

   • PRACTICAL REASON
     • Looks at evidence and argument and tells you what ought to be done.
     • People are aware of the moral law at work within them - a sense of moral 'ought'.
       • A PRIORI
         • Knowledge without experience.

2. A DEONTOLOGICAL approach - the act itself is more important than the consequences.

3. FREEDOM

   • To act morally then must be capable of exercising freedom/autonomy of will
     • GOOD WILL
       • Kant's starting point.
       • Making a moral choice expresses good will.

4. DUTY

   • = what makes the good will good.
   • Duty should be done for its own sake - it doesn't matter whether you/others benefit from it.
     • No moral worth in satisfaction gained from doing duty.

5. Practical reason must give the will commands/imperatives.

   • HYPOTHETICAL IMPERATIVE
     • Are not moral commands, don't apply to everyone.
     • Actions that achieve some goal/end.
       • 'if' - e.g if I want to lose weight I ought to exercise more.
   • CATEGORICAL IMPERATIVE
     • Moral commands - absolute moral obligations without reference to other ends.
     • Universalisation
       • Universalise principles of maxims without contradiction.
         • Maxim = General rule in accordance with which intend to act.
         • Act should be carried out if everyone in the same situation should act in the same way.
     • Humans as ends not merely means
       • Humans can't be the means by which a goal is achieved.
         • Suffering of an individual should never be justified because the majority benefitted.
     • Kingdom of Ends
       • Act as if we live in a Kingdom of Ends, based on the assumption that others would act morally/treat others as ends not means.

6. POSTULATES OF PRACTICAL REASON

   • GOD & IMMORTALITY
     • Aim in acting morally is to be worthy of being happy.
     • SUMMUM BONUM = supreme good that we pursue through moral acts.
       • Can't be achieved in this life so must be a life after death where we can achieve it (morality ultimately leads to God.
   • FREEDOM

7. STRENGTHS

   • Straightforward, based on reason.
     • Clear criteria to assess what is moral.
   • Categorical imperative gives rules that apply to everyone and command us to respect human life.
   • Aims to treat everyone fairly and justly.
   • Humans valued to be of intrinsic worth - cannot be exploited.

8. WEAKNESSES

   • Not easily applicable to moral situations as duties can conflict - not suited to world politics.
   • Categorical imperative only works if everyone does it.
   • In human nature to consider consequences, not just putting everything down to duty.

9. W.D.ROSS

   • Argues that exceptions should be made to Kant's duties.
     • PRIMA FACIE DUTIES = 'first sight duties'
       • FIDELITY
       • REPARATION FOR HARM
       • GRATITUDE
       • JUSTICE
       • BENEFICIENCE
       • SELF-IMPROVEMENT
       • NON-MALEFICENCE
       • Are conditional and can be outweighed by more compelling duties.