Key Words to be happy withdeontological – actions, not consequences are

good in themselvessummum bonum – the supreme goodprescriptive – ‘I ought’ means ‘I can’‘a priori’ – knowledge prior to experience‘a posteriori’ – knowledge through experience‘analytic’ – necessarily true statements‘synthetic’ – statements that could be true or

falsecategorical imperativehypothetical imperativeuniversalisability

Key assumption

Autonomy (self rule – we are self-legislators)Humans have freedom plus reasonWe share this reason with God and the angels

- and it raises us above the passions and instincts we share with animals.

So we can choose an action which is good, and can give the word “good” a clear meaning which is true everywhere and for everyone

Kant is DeontologicalThe act is all importantBased on motive of duty – we shouldn’t act

out of compassionMorality is prescriptive – ‘Ought’ implies

‘can’

“The only good thing is the good will” Kant

An ultimate aim

Summum bonum – the supreme goodKant argues that we cannot achieve this in

our lifetime – leads to the assumption that there is an afterlife and God.

We achieve the result of the greatest good by obeying the categorical imperative unconditionally from a motive of duty alone. The origin of this moral law is within all of us as autonomous (self-legislating) beings.

An objective Moral Law known through reason

Moral statements are ‘a priori synthetic’A priori - knowable prior / without experience

(through reason)Just as the a priori idea of number comes

before the experience of counting chairs in my classroom, so the a priori idea of goodness comes before the experience of a right or wrong action.

Synthetic – may be right or wrong

Good will = doing one’s duty

We should act out of duty, not because of the consequences

Opposes utilitarian principles – an act is morally good, even if it results in suffering

We should act out of duty and reason – an identical act performed out of love is good but not moral

Reason, rationality – guiding our emotions

The Categorical ImperativeMoral statements are ‘categorical’ – they

prescribe necessary behaviour irrespective of the consequence

1.universalisability – can it be done at all times and by all people? (Can your action be willed as a universal law) Universalise your action!

2.Treat humans as ends and not just as means. Universalise your common humanity! (Rights, dignity, respect).

3.Act as if you live in a kingdom of ends ie you are an autonomous (free) law-maker. Universalise your law-making power! “The ethics of democracy” (Rachels).

The importance of freedomAs humans we generally have free will –

except when we act like animals enslaved to our passions and desires.

Morality assumes we are able to follow the categorical imperative – actions done when our freedom is constrained are not those of morality (we can’t be blamed)

Evaluating Kantmorality is more than personal preferencesjustice is impartial (equal worth, dignity, rights)humans have intrinsic worth

But...Kant can’t solve the problem of conflict of dutiesuniversalisability is meaningless – are any 2

dilemmas identical?challenges common idea of compassion and

consequence being important considerations