kant ian ethics

8/4/2019 Kant Ian Ethics

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Kantian Ethics

Dr. Amir Salehi


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Overview

Kantian interests in Ethics

Kantian definitions of Categorical Imperative

Arguments of Kant in support of CategoricalImperative

Strengths of Kantian ethics

Problems associated with Kantian ethics

Challenging Kantian ethics Suggestions for review

Quiz


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KantianinterestsinEthics

Since Kants Categorical Imperative represents the Kantian

understanding of ethics, it would not be wrong to say that it is theintention of Kant to describe, define, explain, and justify the

notion of Categorical Imperative as the only acceptable morallaw. To achieve this purpose, Kant intends to establish theCategorical Imperative as the moral truth that can be known byany rational being.

It has been claimed that Kants commitment to Christianity is thereason why his ethics does not contain any new understanding

about morality. In addition, Kants system of morality can be

understood as an attemptto refute Humes ethics.


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Kantian definitions ofCategorical Imperative

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The first or most common definition of CategoricalImperative is concerned with the universality of thisImperative. Universality of a moral law is importantfor Kant because it guarantees that the law is

derived from reason and not from desire (Kantaccepts only reason as a reliable foundation for amoral system).


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Kantian definitions ofCategorical Imperative

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The second definition of Categorical Imperative is concernedwith another important quality or ability of CategoricalImperative; namely, the ability to treat rational beings as anend and never as a means to an end. This ability is

expressed in the notion of Autonomy. The use of this notionby Kant can also be understood as an argument of Kant insupport of Categorical Imperative (Only CategoricalImperative can contain this notion of autonomy and not otherImperatives).

Important: Universality and Autonomy are also the stepsneeded in the method that Kant introduces for developing aCategorical Imperative.


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ArgumentsofKantinsupportof

CategoricalImperative

One of Kants arguments in support of Categorical

Imperative uses indirect proof. Kant presentsHypothetical Imperative as the only alternative to

Categorical Imperative. His chain of reasoning isconcerned with disqualifying HypotheticalImperatives as a possible form under which a morallaw could be expressed. By doing so Kant claims to

establish the form of Categorical Imperative.

Other arguments of Kant refer to the notion ofAutonomy and his transcendental notion of reason

as mentioned above.


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Strengths of Kantian

ethics

Kantian ethics is very systematic, rational andwell justified. In addition, Kants moral system

is based on Kantian metaphysics which

provides a solid foundation for his ethics.


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Problems associatedwith Kantian ethics

1 of 2 One might say that Kantian ethics raises the standards of

morality to the level that it becomes unrealistic for humans tomeet Kantian expectations. In this regard, it can be said thatKant overestimates the abilities of humans to be rational /Kant is too optimistic about the possibility of living a moral lifein accordance with his understanding of CategoricalImperative.

There are also other shortcomings in his moral theory, suchas lack of method or system of criteria that could allow a

judgment about the priority of a Categorical Imperative overother Categorical Imperatives that also apply to a situation(Kant does not consider the possibility of having conflictingCategorical Imperatives).


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Problems associatedwith Kantian ethics

2 of 2 Kantian ethics refuses to accept that the outcome of an

action should be considered as well. The idea that theoutcome of an action cannot be guaranteed or evenaccurately predicted by the acting moral agent, and therefore

should not be considered at all, is incomplete andpessimistic.

Finally, the Kantian ethics lacks a critical approach that isessential for philosophical investigations. This lack of

approach can be noticed when Kants inquiry intends toconfirm Christian mythology and culture almost in everyaspect.


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Challenging Kantian

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Kantian ethics is primarily concerned with the issue of a justifiedmoral act based on the assumption that justification is the solecriteria for morality. In other words, Kant presupposes that arational act is and must be a moral act at the same time;

therefore, he intends to show that the Categorical Imperative isan Imperative based on reason.

But this assumption of Kant can be challenged, since it might bepossible to develop a system of morality based on reason andlogic that would suggest killing innocent people is morally

acceptable. For certainly we would not want to consider suchImperatives as moral even if a rational justification could bepresented in support of it.


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Challenging Kantian

Ethics2of 2

Kantian ethics presents Categorical Imperative as a

moral duty / obligation of a rational being based onthe assumption that the moral agent knows when orin which context to look for a moral duty or obligation.In particular, this means that Kantian ethics lacks asystem for identifying an issue as a moral issue;

therefore, Categorical Imperative can be understoodas a universal answer to a question that might not beaccepted as a moral one by all cultures.


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Suggestions for

review A detailed description of Kantian ethics requires

discussions about other concepts that Kant uses inhis moral system, such as good will, Heteronomy,

Autonomy, Free Will and Dignity. It is essentialthat descriptions be capable of relating theseconcepts to each other by recreating the system ofKant as accurately as possible. It is alsorecommended that Kants Retributivism, in particular

about capital punishment as well as the problemsassociated with his arguments regarding this, bestudied.


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Quiz

1. What is Categorical Imperative?

2. What are the definitions of Kant in support ofCategorical Imperative?

3. What is the Kantian method for developing

Categorical Imperative?4. What is the Argument of Kant in support of

Categorical Imperative?

5. What are the differences between Hypothetical and

Categorical Imperative?6. What is the purpose of Categorical Imperative?

7. What are the strengths and weakness of Kantianethics?

8. What is the Kantian notion of Good Will?

kant ian ethics

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