Kantian Ethics

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Kantian Ethics

• Leadership Ethics (NAV 4402)
• 06 FEB 07
• SSgt Thomas Buettner

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Objectives

• Understand Kantian Ethics
• Be able to apply Kantian Ethics to different
  scenarios/cases
• Be able to distinguish the differences between
  Utilitarianism and Kantianism

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Kants Philosophy

• Autonomous Decisions
• Deontology (Deon Duty)
• Actions in themselves are right or wrong
• Ethical rules should never be broken
• Human value
• Duties used to derive reason and moral decision

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TAKE HOME MESSAGE

• Kantianism Categorical Imperative 1
• ACT ONLY ACCORDING TO THE MAXIM THAT YOU COULD
  WILL TO BE A UNIVERSAL LAW

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TAKE HOME MESSAGE

• Kantianism Categorical Imperative 2
• YOU SHOULD USE AN INDIVIDUAL, EITHER YOURSELF
  OR ANOTHER, AS AN END AND NEVER AS A MEANS ONLY

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• Identify the maxim
• CAT1
• Can the maxim be willed to be universalized ?
• (Is there a contradiction in means or will?)
• If NO then do it!
• CAT 2
• Does the maxim involve treating individuals as
  ends only?
• If YES then do it!

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Terms

• MAXIM (intention)
• - A personal rule on which we make our decisions

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Terms

• DUTY
• What a rational being should do.
• Something to be done because it should be done
  not to achieve praise or reward.
• - It is all about MAXIMS

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Categorical Imperative

• Deontology
• Intentions are important not consequences
• Universalization
• Duty
• Using Persons as Ends in themselves not Means

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• Strengths of Kantian Ethics
• -Duty Commitment to stay the course regardless
  of consequences
• -Respect for Humanity Treatment of people as
  ends
• -Formula for perfect human life?

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Weakness of Kantian Ethics

• Too rigid?
• What is our duty?
• Conflicting Duty/Maxims?
• Intentions Vs Consequences

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KANTIAN VS. UTILITARIAN

• UTILITARIANISM
• Greatest Happiness Principle
• The rightness or wrongness of an act depends
  upon the consequences. (the END Justifies the
  MEANS)
• KANTIAN ETHICS
• Supreme Principle of Morality
• The rightness or wrongness of an act depends
  upon universal laws of action (the END never
  Justifies the MEANS)
• It is all about DUTY

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Case Study

• Illegal Immigrant Worker
• Situation Your uncle owns a construction
  company and pays his immigrant employees under
  the table for 2 less than minimum wage.
• External Info Your uncle, in your opinion, is a
  great guy that has many talents and has a family
  of four your dad works for him too.
• Question An IRS agent asks you to see the tax
  records for the employees because you are the
  accountant and you just started working for your
  uncle last week. What do you do?

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Scenario 1

• You are a nurse (thank you Ojard) and a patient
  has come in with an acute case of inflamed
  appendix. The doctor says to the patient that
  he/she must have it removed. The doctor leaves
  and the patient tell you that he/she is leaving
  the hospital because he/she does not want to do
  it. What do you say to the patient?

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Have you seen/heard this before?

• an individual who can be counted upon to do what
  we know we must and ought to do, even when there
  are no external forms of incentive or
  accountability in place