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kant's categorical imperative summary
kant's categorical imperative summary
kant's categorical imperative summary
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Immanuel Kant was one of history’s greatest influential deontological philosophers that developed the idea of the Categorical Imperative. Deontology is viewed that some actions are morally permitted or forbidden regardless of the consequences. Believing the only thing intrinsic moral worth is the goodwill of others as well as self. Kant also believed that goodwill is not good because of what it affects or accomplishes nor because of its adequacy to achieve something in the proposed end (McKnight, 2016). This is not the “Golden Rule.”
Maxim is the general rule that is characterized by the motives of a person’s actions. Therefore, when pertaining to Kant’s thoughts, it was a will that is good and doing it because it was the right thing to do. The respect of moral law or Categorical Imperative is determined through the moral worth of one’s action (Stanford Encyclodepia of Philosophy, 2017). Good moral actions motivated by maxims are to be like a universal law. Actors may interpret one’s actions to another by comparing them with accepted role performances (Zuckerman, 1999).
Therefore, this is a very appropriate way
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(1972). Morality as a system of hypothetical imperatives. The Philosophical Review, 81(3), 305-316. doi:10.2307/2184328
Potter, N. T. Jr., (1998). The principle of punishment is a categorical imperative. Faculty Publications - Department of Philosophy. 22. Retrieved from: http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1021&context=philosfacpub
McKnight, L., (2016). Immanuel Kant and "The Categorical Imperative" for Dummies Retrieved from: https://owlcation.com/humanities/Immanuel-Kant-and-The-Categorical-Imperative
Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. (2004). Kant's moral philosophy. Retrieved from: https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/kant-moral/ Zuckerman, E. (1999). The Categorical Imperative: Securities Analysts and the Illegitimacy Discount. American Journal of Sociology, 104(5), 1398-1438.
Kantianism is named after a German philosopher Immanuel Kant, who lived in 1724-1804. According to Kant, the only thing that is good is good will; moreover, the good will builds the whole structure of the society. Kantianism is based on the intent of the action or person’s intention which are the predominant attributes of the good will. The basic principle of Kantianism theory depicts the idea of universal truths. It explains that a moral rule must be universal. Also, it describes that people should be treated with respect. Moreover, it explains the credibility of an action why it is right or wrong and convinces the user with logical reasons. Kant proposed the Categorical Imperative, which describes a set up to explain, “What makes a moral rule appropriate?” One version of the Categorical Imperative states that it is wrong for a person to use himself or another person uniquely as a means to an end. Most of the time it is easier to use the second version of the Categorical Imperative to analyze a moral problem from a Kantian point of view. For example, in the case of Jean, misusing the responsibilities of someone else’s duty. It was wrong for Jean to treat the profession of the doctor as a means to an end. Jean deceived the profession of the doctors with the goal of getting benefit to save his nephew. It was wrong for jean to misuse his responsibilities rather than to think that he can find a way to look for a doctor. We can also look at this scenario using the first version of the Categorical Imperative. Jean wanted to save his nephew Pierre. A proposed moral rule might be, “Take a decision in his hands to save his nephew.” However, if everyone followed the same rule, it will diminish the sense of duty, responsibility, and the respect of the profession. If everyone will act the same way in this type of situation and try to misuse his or her professional responsibilities, then there will
Utilitarian thought and theory are based on the “Greatest Happiness Principle” which exclaims that actions are considered moral only when they promote universal happiness and the absence of pain. In this paper, I argue that Kant’s Categorical Imperative is superior to utilitarianism because Kant’s Categorical Imperative allows for actions to be judged case by case, as opposed of what’s considered to be the best for maximizing happiness.
Kant formulates several notions of what the categorical imperative must be and sometimes seems to confuse how many definitions he has suggested. But it seems to be clear that the Formulas I and III carry more importance in developing our subjective maxims for action than the other three Formulas. While these other three formulas provide additional considerations for our formulation of subjective principles, they are secondary to the Formulas I and III.
Kant largely focused on Categorical Imperative and had said “Act only according to that maxim by which you can at the same time will that it should become a universal law.” Kant saw the later as somewhat of a moral compass. Kant suggested to people if they were unsure if something was moral or not, to ask themselves what rule they would be following if they did, and they could then determine their
Kant argued that the Categorical Imperative (CI) was the test for morally permissible actions. The CI states: I must act in such a way that I can will that my maxim should become a universal law. Maxims which fail to pass the CI do so because they lead to a contradiction or impossibility. Kant believes this imperative stems from the rationality of the will itself, and thus it is necessary regardless of the particular ends of an individual; the CI is an innate constituent of being a rational individual. As a result, failure ...
The concept Kant is displaying in his work is the universal maxim. He believes in the idea of the will of every human being to be a part of the universal law. Individuals are to reflect upon their action by looking at the motivating principle behind their action. The question is would the motivation of my action be universally accepted or rejected? Kant is saying that we should look at the motivating principle behind our actions and compare that to how it would be seen on a universal level. Then ask, would we want another person to act with the same motivating principle? In all we are to act in a manner that the will of our action be a maxim that becomes a universal law.
For many years, the philosopher Immanuel Kant has argued for the existence of categorical imperatives. He defines categorical imperatives as rules that must be followed regardless of external circumstances, and that have content that is sufficient enough in and of itself to provide an agent with reason to act in a certain way. He is certain that moral rules fall under this label, and since his death, many of his followers have fought to support this claim.
At its core, Kantian philosophy is a more complex version of the golden rule, a principle traditionally associated with religious ethics. The premise is to “do unto others as you would have others do unto you”; the rule’s maxim advises reciprocity of actions amongst individuals. Immanuel Kant (1724-1804), a German philosopher, believed this rule was flawed; it required a more comprehensive structure and logical means of justification in order to avoid a perverse interpretation. For the rule to become universal law one must individually act for the universal good, rather than self-serving motivations, and expect nothing in return. Kant’s moral requirements, “Categorical imperative”, stipulates that rational individuals perform acts that are
Immanuel Kant's deonotological ethical theory assesses if actions are moral based on the person's will or intention of acting. Kant's theory can be categorized as a deonotological because "actions are not assessed to be morally permissible on the basis of consequences they produce, but rather on the form of the agent's will in acting," (Dodds, Lecture 7) therefore his actions are based on duty and not consequential. Kantianism is based on three principles: maxims, willing, and the categorical imperative. Kant states that a maxim is a "general rule or principle which will explain what a person takes himself to be doing and the circumstances in which he takes himself to be doing it" (Feldman, 1999, 201). It is important that this principle be universalisable and that the maxim can be applied consistently to everyone that encounters similar situations, therefore willed as a universal law. The second aspect of Kant's theory is willing. This involves the agent consistently committing oneself to make an action occur. He states that, "In general, we can say that a person wills inconsistently if he wills that p be the case and he wills that q be the case and its impossible for p and q to be the case together" (Feldman, 1999, 203). T...
In Section One and Section Two of his work. Kant explores his position on his fundamental principle of morality, or his “categorical imperative”, or his idea that all actions are moral and “good” if they are performed as a duty. Such an idea is exemplified when he says, “I should never act except in such a way that I can also will that my maxim should become a universal law” (Kant 14). The philosopher uses examples such as suicide and helping others in distress to apply his principal to possible real life situation. Kant is successful in regards to both issues. As a result, it means that categorical imperative can plausibly be understood as the fundamental principle of all morality. Kant’s reasoning for his categorical imperative is written in a way that makes the theory out to be very plausible.
Kant’s moral philosophy is built around the formal principles of ethics rather than substantive human goods. He begins by outlining the principles of reasoning that can be equally expected of all rational persons regardless of their individual desires or partial interests. It creates an ideal universal community of rational individuals who can collectively agree on the moral principles for guiding equality and autonomy. This is what forms the basis for contemporary human rig...
The first formulation of the Categorical Imperative is defined by Kant to "act only according to that maxim by which you can at the same time will that it should become a universal law”. Good moral actions are those of which are motivated by maxims which can be consistently willed that it’s generalized form be a universal law of nature. These maxims are otherwise known as universilizable maxims. Maxims can then be put through the Categorical Imerative test to determine their universilisablility and thus the premissability the maxim. To test a maxim we must ask ourselves whether we can consi...
From a Kantian perspective, we look at the act in itself. In Kantian theory, the categorical imperative is a logical test that encompasses three formulations, but I will only discuss one. The consequence of using a person to benefit another is that we cause non-malfeasance to a healthy person to benefit an ill person (Collier & Haliburton, 2015, p. 363). This act violates the principle respect for persons of the second means as an end formulation of the categorical imperative. In this formulation, we are to act by treating humans as an end, and not as a means for our purposes only, because each rational being has equal moral worth and dignity (Collier & Haliburton, 2015, p. 20). Justice, a kantian value claims we do not sacrifice some to benefit
German philosopher Immanuel Kant popularized the philosophy of deontology, which is described as actions that are based on obligation rather than personal gain or happiness (Rich & Butts, 2014). While developing his theory, Kant deemed two qualities that are essential for an action to be deemed an ethical. First, he believed it was never acceptable to sacrifice freedom of others to achieve a desired goal. In other words, he believed in equal respect for all humans. Each human has a right for freedom and justice, and if an action takes away the freedom of another, it is no longer ethical or morally correct. Secondly, he held that good will is most important, and that what is good is not determined by the outcome of the situation but by the action made (Johnson, 2008). In short, he simply meant that the consequences of a situation do not matter, only the intention of an action. Kant also declared that for an act to be considered morally correct, the act must be driven by duty alone. By extension, there could be no other motivation such as lo...
Kant’s categorical imperative has two components in it namely good will and acting in such a way that the action has an ability to become a universal law. So, first, we analyze his notion of good will and then we will move towards the action