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KANTIAN ETHICS

a really brief overview

KANT FOR DUMMIES?

NO!

BEGINNINGS
Our o!" ba!i# free$o i! our free$o of #%oi#e& '%oi#e i! #o($i"io(e$ by obli)a"io(* w%a" should I $o+ )ive( all y #%oi#e!? Bu" obli)a"io( i! u(#lear, -ow $o I $e"er i(e w%i#% #%oi#e! are "%e o(e! I a obliged "o a.e?

A FIRST PRINCIPLE!
INSIST THAT PRINCIPLES OF BEHAVIOR APPLY TO ALL PERSONS IF IT DOESNT WORK FOR EVERYONE, IT DOESNT WORK!

BUT /AIT,
I!(0" i(!i!"i() "%a" 1ri(#i1le! of be%avior a11ly "o all 1er!o(! $e(yi() "%e 1ar"i#ulari"ie! of our #ir#u !"a(#e!? /e #a(0" e21erie(#e every"%i(),

KANT SA3S
i"0! o.we $o(0" %ave "o e21erie(#e every"%i() "o a11ly oral 1ri(#i1le!, Our rea!o( e($ow! our e21erie(#e! wi"% i("er1re"a"io( 4 i("er1re"a"io( w%i#% #all! principles "o i($& 5ra#"i#al rea!o( a11lie! 1ri(#i1le! "o all #a!e! 6Ka(" !ay!7&

A DEFINITION,
ET-I'S i! "%e !"u$y of 1ri(#i1le! "%a" lea$ "o )oo$ be%avior&

KANTIAN GOODNESS
T%e .ey i! "o $i!#over w%a" i! #a"e)ori#ally )oo$8 "%a" w%i#% i! always a($ in every case )oo$& To Ka("+ "%e o(ly !u#% )oo$ i! "%e GOOD /I99 of "%e i($ivi$ual&

GOOD /I99 -UNTING


Our will! are o"iva"e$ by "%ree "%i()!*

Inclination Conc !n "o! # l" D$t%

/-I'- ONE IS BEST?


Ka(" i(!i!"e$ "%a" our o"iva"io( for a#"io( a""er!& T%e o(ly orally a##e1"able o"iva"io( i! DUT3 4 we be%ave a##or$i() "o "%e )oo$ BE'AUSE IT IS GOOD&

Ho( can ( t ll i" ( ! actin) acco!*in) to *$t%'

H&H'

KANT SA3S IT0S IM5OSSIB9E TO TE99, /e #a( (ever .(ow w%e"%er o"%er! are a#"i() "ruly orally+ bu" i(!i!"! "%a" "%ey #a(8 we #a( a#" o( 1ri(#i1le! i($e1e($e(" of our i("ere!"!&

ENTER REASON,
:Rea!o( ab!"ra#"! u! fro our 1ar"i#ular i("ere!"! a($+ i( $oi() !o+ u(iver!ali;e! our <u$) e("&=
> Davi$ ?e!!ey+ :-ey@$i$$ily@%o+ Nei)%boree(o!* Ne$ Fla($er! a($ Nei)%borly 9ove+= i( The Simpsons and Philosophy+ e$!& /illia Irwi(+ Mar. T& 'o(ra$+ a($ Aeo( A& S.oble+ BCB&

IM5ERATI?ES
For Ka("+ "%i! distancing i! #ri"i#al be#au!e i" e(able! u! "o $e"er i(e $u"y& Du"y+ "%e(+ be#o e! for ula"e$ a! i 1era"ive!*
4 Te#%(i#al a($ 5ru$e("ial 4 if I wa(" "o $o !o e"%i()+ then "%e!e are "%e "%i()! I u!" $o& 4 Moral 4 ab!olu"e %u a( $e a($!+ our i)(ora(#e of w%i#% woul$ $e ea( our %u a( i("e)ri"y&

5ru$e("ial a($ "e#%(i#al i 1era"ive! are HYPOTHETIC ! 4 we need "o a#" o( "%e o(ly if we $e!ire a( i("e($e$ #o(!eDue(#e& Moral i 1era"ive! are C TE"O#IC ! 4 we (e#e!!arily u!" be%ave i( #er"ai( way!& Our rea!o(+ w%i#% lea$! "o u(iver!al <u$) e("!+ lea$! u! "o $i!#over #a"e)ori#al i 1era"ive!&

-.ACT ONLY ON THE PRINCIPLE WHICH CAN BE WILLED TO BE &NIVERSAL LAW/0

DEFINITION OF THE CATE+ORICAL I,PERATIVE

T-IS BRINGS OTHE#S INTO T-E 5I'TURE


/e are obli)e$ "o o"%er!, O"%er!+ "o Ka("+ are "o be "rea"e$ a! PE#SO$S a($ (o" a! O%&ECTS& PE#SO$S #a((o" be u!e$ a! ea(!8 ob<e#"! #a(&

T%e 'a"e)ori#al I 1era"ive+ "%e(+ i(!i!"! "%a" we u!" !"a($ afar fro our $e!ire! "o e bra#e a 1ri(#i1le of a#"io( #ou1le$ wi"% $u"y& I( $oi()+ our will (e)o"ia"e! oral law& 6See S"u 1f0! "%ir$ re($eri() of "%e 'a"e)ori#al I 1era"ive7&

SO /-AT?
So+ our will! are re($ere$ 'TO$O(O'S) /e are au"o(o ou! a)e("!,

AUTONOMOUS AGEN'3
A#" o( 1ri(#i1le! i($e1e($e(" of our i("ere!"!& A#" o( 1ri(#i1le! we %ave #o(!#iou!ly )ive( our!elve! "%rou)% a""e("io( "o $u"y& T%e!e 1ri(#i1le! u!" ai for u! "o 1erfe#" our!elve!& T%e!e 1ri(#i1le! are "%e re!ul" of ra"io(al refle#"io( abou" %ow "o a#"&

TO WHAT DOES IT ALL ADD'

FREEDO,

:-ow #a( a 1er!o( be re!1o(!ible or %ave a $u"y if !%e or %e i! (o" able or free "o fulfill %er or %i! $u"y or re!1o($ "o "%e oral #o a($?=
> S"u 1f+ EF&

FINA993
-ow #a( $u"y a($ %a11i(e!! be re#o(#ile$?

Ka(" i 1lie! "%a" our !u1re e oral $u"y i! "o fa!%io( a worl$ i( w%i#% %a11i(e!! i! "%e re!ul" of "%e 1erfor a(#e of $u"y8 $u"iful 1eo1le are rewar$e$ a($ !elf@ #e("ere$ 1eo1le w%o!e !elf@i("ere!" %ar ! o"%er! are 1u(i!%e$&

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