Kantian Ethics
An overview of Kantian ethics considering stengths and weaknesses.
- Created by: Yamanam
- Created on: 21-04-13 13:03
View mindmap
- Kantian Ethics
- Theory of Duty
- Deontogical
- What is moral is what you have a duty to do
- Going to war to protect your country is duty
- Kant thought it to be "inconceivable"that duties can conflict because they are universal and do not discrimnate
- What is moral is what you have a duty to do
- Taxonomy of duties
- Lists of duties that humans have to perform in order to be moral agents
- Deontogical
- Hypothetical Impertive
- = Something humans ought to do, to achieve a certain end.
- So to achieve x, i must do y
- To get to the city quickly I should get the train.
- So to achieve x, i must do y
- = Something humans ought to do, to achieve a certain end.
- Universalisation of Maxims
- Moral law = A rule for how you should act
- Based on a maxim
- Maxims = A subjective moral principle
- Can be deduced by all rational humans
- Therefore A priori
- "There is nothing higher than reason.”
- Therefore A priori
- Can be deduced by all rational humans
- Maxims = A subjective moral principle
- Based on a maxim
- Maxims = A subjective moral principle
- Can be deduced by all rational humans
- Therefore A priori
- "There is nothing higher than reason.”
- Therefore A priori
- Can be deduced by all rational humans
- Created by God
- Moral law = A rule for how you should act
- Catergorical Imperative
- The principle of humanity as an end not a means
- We mustn't use one another to gain use things
- “Always treat people as ends in themselves, never as means to an end.”
- Prostitution is wrong because you are using someone to gain yourself pleasure.
- “Always treat people as ends in themselves, never as means to an end.”
- We mustn't use one another to gain use things
- The universal law principle
- So only do an action if it can be universilsed
- "Act only on that maxim whereby which you can at the same time will that if becomes a universal law"
- Lying is wrong because if everyone lied there would be no trust
- "Act only on that maxim whereby which you can at the same time will that if becomes a universal law"
- So only do an action if it can be universilsed
- The principle of the universal kingdom of ends
- Where humans achieve a harmonious society and realize they share common aims
- "Act according to the maxims of a member of a merely possible kingdom of ends legislating in it universally"
- Where humans achieve a harmonious society and realize they share common aims
- The principle of humanity as an end not a means
- Summum Bonum
- The highest god, only achieved in the moral community
- Teleological
- Two parts
- Well-being
- Individuals are truly moral when content
- Good
- Individuals are truly moral when content
- Good
- Well-being
- Strengths
- T'is a universal theory
- Equality is a key factor
- Places worth on dignity and human life
- Emphasis that we are autonomous individuals
- = Someone free to choose
- Moral actions do not require a moral litmus test
- Weaknesses
- Some argue there is no such thing as a priori laws
- Consequences are ignored
- What about double effect?
- We are free yet bound by moral laws, contradiction.
- Moral luck
- Cold and logical - no place for personal relationships
- Theory of Duty
- Hypothetical Impertive
- = Something humans ought to do, to achieve a certain end.
- So to achieve x, i must do y
- To get to the city quickly I should get the train.
- So to achieve x, i must do y
- = Something humans ought to do, to achieve a certain end.
- Something humans are duty bound to do
- Lying is wrong because if everyone lied there would be no trust
- Prostitution is wrong because you are using someone to gain yourself pleasure.
- "Act according to the maxims of a member of a merely possible kingdom of ends legislating in it universally"
Comments
Report
Report