Phil 2306W

Kant SPRING 2013

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 Deontological Moral Theory

Kant provides a deontological moral theory.

The rightness/wrongness of acts is determined by
whether they conform to our moral duties.
Acts have moral worth/moral value if they are
performed from duty, not according to duty.
The right motive/The good will
From duty: you do the right thing because it is the
right thing, period. You act from respect for the
moral law. THIS IS THE GOOD WILL.
According to duty: you do the right thing because you
are inclined to do the right thing (e.g., helping others
because you want to). Here, you are acting only
according to your desires. 2
 Kantian Moral Duties

Kant gives us the categorical imperative (CI)

procedure to determine what our moral duties are.

If the action passes the CI procedure, the act is

morally permissible.

If the action does not pass (or fails) the CI

procedure, then the action is morally prohibited.

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 Setting the stage for the CI

Two values are important to Kant:

1.Rationality: rationality has inherent value.

2.Persons: persons have inherent value because they

have the capacity for rationality.

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 The CI: Universalizability
Formulation

Act only on that maxim (moral imperative or

rule) that you can will to become a universal
law.

Maxim: a principle describing a proposed

action.

The universalizability formulation of the CI

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 The CI: Universalizability
Formulation
What does the CI mean?

Importance placed on rationality.

Example:
Lying: fails the CI procedure.
The example of making a false promise.

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 The Means-End Formulation
of the CategorIcal imperative

Treat persons, including oneself, always as an

end-in-themselves, and never only as a means.

This is the means-end formula of the CI.

You can treat a person as a means, so long as

you treat them at the same time, as an end-in-
themselves.

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 More on the Means-End
Formula of the CI

Treating persons as mere means (or only as a

means).

Treating persons as a means and an end-in-

themselves.

Treating persons as ends-in-themselves.

The consent test: would a rational person consent

to be treated in such a way?

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 Summary

For any action to be morally permissible, it must

pass both formulations of the CI.

If it fails either formula, the action is morally

prohibited.