Immanuel Kant

➔ Believed that morality should be based on pure reason and logic

➔ Things ought to be done from duty rather than inclination (personal benefit); doing things
for the sake of their goodness
➔ In reference to ancient philosophers, Kant made a comment that moderation in certain
values and passions are admirable however do not constitute a person’s morality, as
without a good will even the mean values can become extremely bad
➔ A good will is good simply through the virtu eof volition, it is good in itself, and that it si
esteemed higher than anything brought by inclination
➔ Good will alone is not enough to achieve its purpose; we must act as well
➔ Morality can only come from rational beings because we are the only ones who are
capable of the conception of law
➔ DUTY IS THE CONDITION OF WILL GOOD-IN-ITSELF, WHOSE WORTH
TRANSCENDS ALL

Duty vs Inclination
Duty
➔ Actions not considered to be done out of duty
◆ Those inconsistent with duty (because we can’t determine if they rise from duty at
all)
◆ Actions that conform to duty, but have no direct inclination of their own but are
compelled by another inclination
◆ A suicidal person who continues to live even while he’s sorrowful with
accordance to duty and not from it
◆ IN ACCORDANCE TO VS FROM DUTY
➔ Doing something from duty is to do something with a selfish view / own
benefit
➔ Doing something in accordance with duty is to do the morally right thing
regardless of motive
Inclination
-

3 Formulations of Kantian Ethics

1. Act only on that maxim whereby you can, at the same time, will that it should
become a universal law of nature
a. Universalizability Principle
2. Act in such a way that you always treat humanity, whether in your own person or
in the person of any other, never simply as a means, but always at the same time
as an end
a. People are ends in themselves, meaning you shouldn’t treat them as
means and but rather view them also as equally autonomous persons
3. Always act as if to bring about, and as a member of a Kingdom of Ends
 a. Act as a member and head of the kingdom of ends

Categorical Imperative vs Hypothetical Imperative

HYPOTHETICAL IMPERATIVE:
➔ actions done out of inclination or self-benefit. An object, person, event’s value is
conditional under inclinations. Ie. their value is not absolute therefore nonmoral
➔ Actions done out of a means to something else
➔ HOWEVER, Kant mentioned that there is one end that is assumed to be an end
for all rational beings (like what Aristotle said) certain hypothetical imperatives
rise from this particularly ASSTERTORIAL hypothetical imperatives, which are
HIs that are necessary in order to advance to happiness
➔ He also mentioned PRUDENCE, which is basically how well you choose these
means to happiness
➔ Hypothetical Imperatives are done FROM DUTY

CATEGORICAL IMPERATIVE:
➔ Commands certain conduct immediately without having any other condition or
purpose that comes along with it
➔ It concerns the form and the principle of which it is itself a result

A PRIORI VS A POSTERIORI
A PRIORI “From what comes before”
➔ Knowledge attainable through analysis and post contemplation of
experiences
➔ Does not need experiences to rise
➔ Judgement based on the 12 categories of understanding

A POSTERIORI “From what comes later”

➔ Knowledge attainable through empirical evidence and experiences
➔ Pure intuition of space and time; requires materials to be observed
THE KNOWLEDGE OF MORALITY IS CONSTRUED AS SYNTHETIC A PRIORI
PROPOSITIONS -> meaning, morality should be interpreted through a priori
notions

- From the Good Will arises 2 things:

- Practical Law/objective principle (which brings about categorical
imperatives)
- Duty