explain Kant's reasons for using the categorical imperative

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  • explain Kant's reasons for using the categorical imperative
    • formula of the end in itself
      • kant believes that we should not exploit others or treat them to achieve an ends
        • to treat another person as a means is to deny that person the right to be a rational and independent judge of his or her own actions
    • introduction
      • deontological focuses on the act
      • absolute
      • his moral arguments are priori synthetic
      • Kant was a deontologist . he believed that the consequences of our actions are irrelevant to whether they are right or not
    • formula of a kingdom of ends
      • everyone should act as if every other person was an end - a free autonomous agent
      • Pretend you live as a member of (and as a leader of) the Kingdom of Ends where all people live as if these rules are totally valid
    • the difference between the categorical imperative and the hypothetical imperative
      • the categorical imperative
        • the categorical imperative are moral commands and do not begin with an if
          • they tell everyone what to do
            • according to kant  they apply to everyone because they are based on an objective a priori law of reason
      • the hypothetical imperative
        • hypothetical imperatives are not moral commands to the will , as they do not apply to everyone
          • they only need to be obeyed if an individual wants to achieve a certain goal
            • hypothetical imperative always begins with an if
    • universalization of the laws
      • kant first form appeals to our rationality
      • kant believed that this was how moral decisions should be made
      • it can be applied from the golden rule " treat everyone how you would like to be treated"
    • duty and good will
      • duty
        • duty is what makes good will good
          • it is important that duty is done for its own sake
            • our motives need to be pure
        • kant argues we must choose to do good actions and choose to avoid bad ones anything else is not morality
      • good will
        • Kant believed that there was nothing that could be said to be good except a good will
          • the only good in itself is the good will - the will to do one duty.

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