Key words
- Maxim: This is the principle or rule behind your action. For example, "I
should tell the truth."
- Moral Test: If your action's guiding principle can't logically or
practically apply to everyone, it fails the test and is deemed immoral.
- Universalization: Ask whether your maxim could be applied
universally without contradiction. For instance, if everyone lied, trust
would be impossible, and the concept of lying would break
- Postulate
Verb: to suggest or assume the existence, fact or truth of something as
a basis belief Noun: a thing suggested or assumed as true as the basis
for reasoning/ belief.
, Moral knowledge
Moral knowledge can be known through reason, we can be certain
what's right and wrong
It's an objective law that is beyond personal opinion as it is known
through reason.
‘a periori’ as its not based on experience
It binds us to act a certain way, categorically follow it
Deontological
Fully human
Deon is more of a ‘function of being’, it is becoming fully human
For Kant this means two things: Rationality and Autonomy
Rationality: we use or reason to access the moral law and make moral
decisions
Autonomy: we have the freedom to not be slaves to our animal instinct
Free to pursue the summum bonum which is the supreme good where
everyone benefits
Deontological: a priori knowledge that is knowledgeable through reason
Teleological: a prosteriori knowledge that comes from our experience in the
world
The Good Will
- Part of Kants teachings on duty (Deon) includes the concept of
goodwill. This means motivation for doing the right action, to Kant, the
only motivation that can be called good is that you have worked out it
is the right thing to do. This is helpful as it takes anyway any
motivation for selfish actions. However, this may be unclear as
people's motivations may be complex and there may be several.
Kants duties
- He did not name specific duties, each of us is moral agents for our own
freedom and rationality. But he did name some e.g. suicide, avoid
drinking
- Maxim: This is the principle or rule behind your action. For example, "I
should tell the truth."
- Moral Test: If your action's guiding principle can't logically or
practically apply to everyone, it fails the test and is deemed immoral.
- Universalization: Ask whether your maxim could be applied
universally without contradiction. For instance, if everyone lied, trust
would be impossible, and the concept of lying would break
- Postulate
Verb: to suggest or assume the existence, fact or truth of something as
a basis belief Noun: a thing suggested or assumed as true as the basis
for reasoning/ belief.
, Moral knowledge
Moral knowledge can be known through reason, we can be certain
what's right and wrong
It's an objective law that is beyond personal opinion as it is known
through reason.
‘a periori’ as its not based on experience
It binds us to act a certain way, categorically follow it
Deontological
Fully human
Deon is more of a ‘function of being’, it is becoming fully human
For Kant this means two things: Rationality and Autonomy
Rationality: we use or reason to access the moral law and make moral
decisions
Autonomy: we have the freedom to not be slaves to our animal instinct
Free to pursue the summum bonum which is the supreme good where
everyone benefits
Deontological: a priori knowledge that is knowledgeable through reason
Teleological: a prosteriori knowledge that comes from our experience in the
world
The Good Will
- Part of Kants teachings on duty (Deon) includes the concept of
goodwill. This means motivation for doing the right action, to Kant, the
only motivation that can be called good is that you have worked out it
is the right thing to do. This is helpful as it takes anyway any
motivation for selfish actions. However, this may be unclear as
people's motivations may be complex and there may be several.
Kants duties
- He did not name specific duties, each of us is moral agents for our own
freedom and rationality. But he did name some e.g. suicide, avoid
drinking
