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imperatives (Kantian ethics) - Coggle Diagram
imperatives (Kantian ethics)
hypothetical imperative
= a command to act to achieve a desired result
there is no requirement to follow this but it is how we should act if we wish to achieve something
in life we have various goals and are not distinctively moral
not moral inclined to do anything but what is chosen requires steps to reach it which are known as imperatives
'.... if.....then'
categorical imperative
refers to rules that must be followed with no 'ifs'
moral rules
must be followed, regardless of what we hope to achieve in the end results and regardless of our emotions or personal preferences
three principles - formula of...
law of nature = whereby a maxim can be established as a universal law
we should not make rules where we expect to be allowed to break them when it suits us - truth telling is Kant's major example of this as we should always tell the truth
we should do only what we are willing that everyone should do
if you think of doing something, would you want someone to do it to you?
does generalising that everyone should do something make it moral?
not clear that any action can truly be universalised in this way and remain moral
the end in itself = whereby people are treated as ends in themselves and not means to an end
not be concerned with the consequences
if we disregard the realities of living and making decisions in a complex world, the principle seems to work well
always hard cases, some of which cast doubt on the absolutist claim that this principle can and must always be followed
the kingdom of ends = whereby a society of rationality is estabilishabled in which people treat each other as ends and not means
every rational being must act as if through his universalised maxim he were always a legislating member in the universal kingdom of ends
act as if our actions made laws for everyone else
does not add very much to the other concepts except that it is an insistent reminder of our duty and responsibility and emphasis the significance