Kantian 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 Categorical
  Imperative
• Strengths of Kantian ethics
• Problems associated with Kantian ethics
• Challenging Kantian ethics
• Suggestions for review
• Quiz

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Kantian interests in Ethics

• Since Kants Categorical Imperative represents
  the Kantian understanding of ethics, it would not
  be wrong to say that it is the intention of Kant
  to describe, define, explain, and justify the
  notion of Categorical Imperative as the only
  acceptable moral law. To achieve this purpose,
  Kant intends to establish the Categorical
  Imperative as the moral truth that can be known
  by any rational being.
• It has been claimed that Kants commitment to
  Christianity is the reason why his ethics does
  not contain any new understanding about morality.
  In addition, Kants system of morality can be
  understood as an attempt to refute Humes ethics.

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Kantian definitions of Categorical Imperative1
of 2

• The first or most common definition of
  Categorical Imperative is concerned with the
  universality of this Imperative. Universality of
  a moral law is important for Kant because it
  guarantees that the law is derived from reason
  and not from desire (Kant accepts only reason as
  a reliable foundation for a moral system).

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Kantian definitions of Categorical Imperative2
of 2

• The second definition of Categorical Imperative
  is concerned with another important quality or
  ability of Categorical Imperative namely, the
  ability to treat rational beings as an end and
  never as a means to an end. This ability is
  expressed in the notion of Autonomy. The use of
  this notion by Kant can also be understood as an
  argument of Kant in support of Categorical
  Imperative (Only Categorical Imperative can
  contain this notion of autonomy and not other
  Imperatives).
• Important Universality and Autonomy are also
  the steps needed in the method that Kant
  introduces for developing a Categorical
  Imperative.

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Arguments of Kant in support of Categorical
Imperative

• One of Kants arguments in support of Categorical
  Imperative uses indirect proof. Kant presents
  Hypothetical Imperative as the only alternative
  to Categorical Imperative. His chain of reasoning
  is concerned with disqualifying Hypothetical
  Imperatives as a possible form under which a
  moral law could be expressed. By doing so Kant
  claims to establish the form of Categorical
  Imperative.
• Other arguments of Kant refer to the notion of
  Autonomy and his transcendental notion of reason
  as mentioned above.

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Strengths of Kantian ethics

• Kantian ethics is very systematic, rational and
  well justified. In addition, Kants moral system
  is based on Kantian metaphysics which provides a
  solid foundation for his ethics.

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Problems associated with Kantian ethics1 of 2

• One might say that Kantian ethics raises the
  standards of morality to the level that it
  becomes unrealistic for humans to meet Kantian
  expectations. In this regard, it can be said that
  Kant overestimates the abilities of humans to be
  rational / Kant is too optimistic about the
  possibility of living a moral life in accordance
  with his understanding of Categorical Imperative.
• There are also other shortcomings in his moral
  theory, such as lack of method or system of
  criteria that could allow a judgment about the
  priority of a Categorical Imperative over other
  Categorical Imperatives that also apply to a
  situation (Kant does not consider the possibility
  of having conflicting Categorical Imperatives).

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Problems associated with Kantian ethics2 of 2

• Kantian ethics refuses to accept that the outcome
  of an action should be considered as well. The
  idea that the outcome of an action cannot be
  guaranteed or even accurately predicted by the
  acting moral agent, and therefore should not be
  considered at all, is incomplete and
  pessimistic.
• Finally, the Kantian ethics lacks a critical
  approach that is essential for philosophical
  investigations. This lack of approach can be
  noticed when Kants inquiry intends to confirm
  Christian mythology and culture almost in every
  aspect.

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Challenging Kantian Ethics 1of 2

• Kantian ethics is primarily concerned with the
  issue of a justified moral act based on the
  assumption that justification is the sole
  criteria for morality. In other words, Kant
  presupposes that a rational act is and must be a
  moral act at the same time therefore, he intends
  to show that the Categorical Imperative is an
  Imperative based on reason.
• But this assumption of Kant can be challenged,
  since it might be possible to develop a system of
  morality based on reason and logic that would
  suggest killing innocent people is morally
  acceptable. For certainly we would not want to
  consider such Imperatives as moral even if a
  rational justification could be presented in
  support of it.

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Challenging Kantian Ethics 2of 2

• Kantian ethics presents Categorical Imperative as
  a moral duty / obligation of a rational being
  based on the assumption that the moral agent
  knows when or in which context to look for a
  moral duty or obligation. In particular, this
  means that Kantian ethics lacks a system for
  identifying an issue as a moral issue therefore,
  Categorical Imperative can be understood as a
  universal answer to a question that might not be
  accepted 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
  in his moral system, such as good will,
  Heteronomy, Autonomy, Free Will and
  Dignity. It is essential that descriptions be
  capable of relating these concepts to each other
  by recreating the system of Kant as accurately as
  possible. It is also recommended that Kants
  Retributivism, in particular about capital
  punishment as well as the problems associated
  with his arguments regarding this, be studied.

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Quiz

• 1. What is Categorical Imperative?
• 2. What are the definitions of Kant in support of
  Categorical 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 Kantian
  ethics?
• 8. What is the Kantian notion of Good Will?