Moral law and Kant’s imperatives. Starter: Look over and remind yourself what the difference between • A priori and A posteriori is.

And

• Analytic and Synthetic

Wednesday 25th September 2013

The moral law

• Using your keyword sheet complete the task on your A4 sheet. If you struggle also use pg 49-50.

Conclusion: • What type of statements are ethical ones?

• Remember as well it must be able to be universalised to be moral.

• What is good will to Kant?

How do we become moral?

Duty…

• We each have a duty to act morally and to follow

moral law.

• Duty is different from acting out of inclination or compassion

• Kant’s theory of ethics is an absolute one; he believes we should do our duty because it is

our duty to do so.

Continued…

Kant believed in an objective right and wrong based on moral

reason. We should do the right thing just because it is right and

not because it fulfils our desires or is based on our feelings. We

know what is right not by relying on our intuitions or facts about

the world about the world, but by using our reason. To test a

moral maxim, we need to ask whether we can always say that

everyone should follow it and we must reject it if we cannot.

For Kant moral judgements are not relative or subjective.

Although modern deontology avoids too close a link with Kant,

criticising him for being too absolute, his moral theory is still influential.

Kant’s moral theory begins withThe phenomenon of ‘GOOD WILL’, celebratingwhat can be achieved by the application of human reason.

GOOD WILLFor Kant if I am to act morally then I must be capable of exercising freedom or autonomy of the will.

“It is impossible to conceive of anything in all the world which can be taken as good without qualification, except a

good will. Good will is like a jewel, it should shine by its own light, as a thing which has it’s own value in itself”

CELEBRATION!! Key thoughtWe know we are free

because we experience moral choice. We do not experience moral choice only after

coming to the conclusion that we are

free.

Key thoughtWe know we are free

because we experience moral choice. We do not experience moral choice only after

coming to the conclusion that we are

free.

The shopkeeper

• A shopkeeper is always kind and friendly to you when you go into his shop, he highlights special offers and is prepared to offer you cut price deals as a regular customer. All of these will be limiting his profits

• What possible reasons are there for this kind of behaviour?

• What would the reason be for Kant?

An example from Kant• There are two butchers in a

town one of them ( Frank) desires increased trade, a good reputation and an ever expanding turnover. In order to achieve this he sells only the best meat, gives excellent service and never cheats his customers.

• The other butcher (Fred) does exactly the same as Frank except that he believes, by reason, that he ought to and for no other reason than this. His motive is pure and unconditional.

Imperatives…

Imperative – Something that must be done.

“All imperatives command either hypothetically or categorically… if the action would be good simply as a means to something else, then the imperative is hypothetical; but if the action is represented as good in itself… then the imperative is categorical.”

Hypothetical ImperativeA moral command that is conditional on

personal motive or desire. It informs us of a factual relation between a goal and how to achieve it. There is no concept of obligation attached to it and Kant didn’t

see any moral reference in there.

Hypothetical imperatives always begin with an ‘if’.

If you want X then you must do Y.

If I want to lose weight then I ought to go on a

diet…

Categorical ImperativeTells us what we ought to do.

Kant argued that morality is prescriptive and moral

statements are categorical in that they prescribe

actions irrespective of the result. They are moral obligations.

An unconditional moral law that applies to all

rational beings and is independent of personal

motive or desire. For Kant the C.I. was the

principle that one should act on a maxim only if

one can will that it becomes universal law.

An example from Kant• There are two butchers in a

town one of them ( Frank) desires increased trade, a good reputation and an ever expanding turnover. In order to achieve this he sells only the best meat, gives excellent service and never cheats his customers.

HYPOTHETICAL• The other butcher (Fred) does

exactly the same as Frank except that he believes, by reason, that he ought to and for no other reason than this. His motive is pure and unconditional.

CATEGORICAL

Three Principles of the C.I.

1.Universal Law.2.Treat Humans as ends

not as ‘means to an end’3.The Kingdom of Ends

Universal Law.

1. Act only according to that maxim whereby you can at the same time will that it should be universal law.

Kant calls this the Formulation of Nature and argued

that the only actions that are moral are those that can

be universalised – applied in all situations and to all

rational beings, without exception.

Treat humans as ends not a ‘means to an end

This means that you should act so that you treat humanity,

both in your own person and in the person of every other

human being, never merely as a means, but always at the

same time as an end.

Kant held human beings as the pinnacle of creation. Therefore, it can never be moral to exploit people, to

use them as a means to an end. Each person is unique

and of equal value so cannot be sacrificed, even if it would

result in some overall greater good.

The Kingdom Of Ends

Act on the assumption that all will act in the

same way. You should act as if you were through your maxim a law-making

member of a kingdom of ends. (Christian saying?)

Kant argued that our actions had to be based on the assumption that others

would also act morally and treat everyone as

ends, not means.

Key Thought

The implication of Kant’s Categorical

Imperative is that, as free, autonomous,

rational, moral agents, we do not discover

morality – we make it!

Key Thought

The implication of Kant’s Categorical

Imperative is that, as free, autonomous,

rational, moral agents, we do not discover

morality – we make it!

Examples…

An example of a moral rule, derived from the previous principles of the Categorical Imperative ,

would be: ‘Do not lie’.

Kant argues that this rule applies universally. He applied the following reasoning. Is it moral to lie?

He would apply the first law and reason what would

happen if it were universalised. Such action – lying – would clearly harm society. It would also involve treating people as means to an end rather than as ends themselves. The conclusion is the lying is

immoral.

Write the correct words in the correct diagram

• Not absolute * ‘ought’• Unconditional * characterised by the word if• Universally valid * extrinsic• Must be obeyed * A priori law• Not unconditional * intrinsic• Only works for the heteronymous will • Non moral• Only works for the autonomous will• Duty• For the sake of something else• External• Use of reason

Hypothetical Imperative

external

CATEGORICALIMPERATIVE

Hypothetical

Imperative

Not absolute

Not unconditio

nal

Only works

from the Heterony

mouswill

Nonmoral

For the sake of Something

else

external

extrinsic

Characterised

By the word

IF

CATEGORICAL

IMPERATIVE

unconditional

Universally

valid

Must be obeyed

Use ofreason

intrinsic‘ought’

A PRIORI LAW

duty

Only works from the

AUTONOMOUSWILL

AUTONOMOUS WILL

• Acts freely • Acts rationally• Without compulsion• Willing• Dutiful• No inner desires

HETERONOMOUS WILL

• Does not act freely• Rationally constrained• Morally fettered• Inner desires

Homework

Kant week – Complete the Log.

This will help you to begin to consider the strengths and weaknesses of Kant’s

ethical theory.

You must complete this to help you with the

tasks next lesson. No exceptions!!!