Today’s Class:

Kant & Moral Duty

EMP (21 pages)
• Kantian Ethics and the Basis of Duty (Lucas), pp. 165-169;
from Groundwork of the Metaphysic of Morals (Kant), pp. 171-
181; A Simplified Account of Kantian Ethics (O’Neill), pp. 183- Immanuel Kant
187. (1724-1804)
CSME (7 pages)
• Aviano EA-6B Gondola Mishap (Slyman), pp. 115 -121, 233 -
234.

Objectives from reading:

“The German
“The German Enlightenment philosopher,
Enlightenment philosopher,
Comprehend moral basis & standard of Kantian or duty-based ethics:
Immanuel
Immanuel Kant,
Kant, isis regarded
regarded as
as among
among the
• What are the strengths & weaknesses of Kantian ethics as a moral
the
standard?
greatest
greatest and
and most
most influential
influential of
of Western
Western
• Kantian concept of good will, reason, intent, & duty
• Know and apply the 3 versions of the Categorical Imperative.
philosophers,
philosophers, and
and undeniably
undeniably as
as one
one of
of the
the
• How does Kantian moral theory differ from utilitarianism regarding
most
most difficult
difficult to
to read
intent & consequences?
read and
and understand.”
understand.”
• How would you compare Kant’s concept of duty to the concept or
military duty? - Kantian Ethics and the Basics of Duty – page
- Kantian Ethics and the Basics of Duty – page
Extreme Measures
 …and your rebuttal?

Do what is “correct…”

Do what is “right…”

Do what is “brave…”
 Utilitarianism (review)

• The Principle of Utility (GHP) is a good

example of most of these provisions…

– Gives clear answers, helps resolve

many problems, explains and
justifies our intuitions

– But the Extreme Measures story, or

“shoot the prisoners” dilemma,
illustrate issues (like justice,
fairness, and rights) which are not
sufficiently addressed
 Kant’s direct swipes…

• At Utilitarianism
– “A good will is not good because of what it effects or
accomplishes…it is good in the willing alone…”

• At Aristotelian Virtues
– “Intelligence, courage, resolution, determination…are good in
many respects, but they can be bad or hurtful when the will is
not good…” (see Adolph Hitler)

• At Ego-centric Ethics
– “Man feels in himself a powerful counterweight to all the
commands of duty presented to him…the counterweight of his
desires….which pervert the dignity of the strict natural laws of
duty…”
 Kant’s Contrasting Strategy

• Morality seems to consist in various law-like principles,

obligations, that limit our freedom
– “I ought…” (duty) versus I want…” (desire)

• The “Morally Good Will” (person of good character, integrity)

– recognizes the moral law as his own self-imposed limitations
on individual freedom for the sake of all

• Human beings have moral dignity because of this power of

reason to regulate their behavior
– unlike mere animals, we don’t just “have desires” or impulses
and act on them, we also have AUTONOMY (the capacity for
self-governance)

• Morality is an expression of that autonomy, it is “self-

governance”
 Kant: the “Supreme Principle”
of Morality
If we ask for the essential characteristic defining moral
goodness or worth, we find:

– An action has “moral worth” if

• it conforms to the requirements of duty, and
• is done for the sake of duty
(…and not for some other motive);
and

– A person is morally good (“good will”) if

• he or she can be counted on to do his/her duty,
motivated solely by a respect or reverence for the moral law
(rather than consideration of some other, variable principle).

Kant’s
Kant’sMorality
Morality==Duty
Duty vs
vs Mill’s
Mill’sMorality
Morality==Happiness
Happiness
 What is “Duty?”

– Main Entry:
• 1du·ty
– Pronunciation:
• \ˈdü-tē also ˈdyü-\
– Function:
• noun
– Inflected Form(s):
• plural duties
– Etymology:
• Middle English duete, from Anglo-French deueté, dueté, from deu due
– Date:
• 13th century
– 1: conduct due to parents and superiors : respect2 a: obligatory tasks,
conduct, service, or functions that arise from one's position (as in life or in a
group) b (1): assigned service or business (2): active military service (3): a
period of being on duty3 a: a moral or legal obligation b: the force of
moral obligation4: tax ; especially : a tax on imports5 a: work
Terms to Know

• Categorical Imperative (CI)

– “Unconditional Obligation”
– “No alibi, must comply”

• Maxim
– Fundamental principle you act upon
– Rule of conduct

• Deontological Ethics
– Based on Moral Obligation
 Observations about Categorical
Imperatives (CIs)
 CI’s derive their authority from within
– from the rational impulse to obey the dictates of Reason itself
(as an expression of my autonomy)

 CI’s command absolutely, unconditionally, “no ifs, ands or buts”

(no strings attached)

 CI’s are universal, unconditional, NOT subject to variation or change

 Duty and the institution of morality are like this

(Must comply- no alibi)

 “Do this, whether you want to or not, whether you can be made to or
not, whether anyone will notice, reward, praise, or blame you (or
not).”
 Categorical Imperative (CI1):
Formula of Universal Law

• CI1 – Formula of Universal Law:

“Act only on that maxim through which you can at the

same time will that it should become a universal law”

Translation:
1. Can I universalize my act without contradiction?

Kant’s 4 illustrations:
• Do not harm the self (suicide)
• Do not harm or deceive others (lying)
• Do what is good for the self (develop your talents)
• Do what is good for others (beneficence)
 Categorical Imperative (CI2)
Formula of the End in Itself

•CI2 – Formula of the End in Itself

“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.”

Consider Kant’s 4 illustrations,

from the perspective of the “agent”
(i.e., the person undertaking the action)
rather than action:

– Do not harm the self (suicide)

– Do not harm or deceive others (lying) AL ANBAR PROVINCE, Iraq – A member of the 5th Civil Affairs
Group, 2nd Marine Division gives a soccer ball to an Iraqi child
– Do what is good for the self (develop your talents)
– Do what is good for others (beneficence)
 The “Categorical Imperative Procedure”
(CI3)

• CI3 - “The Kingdom of Ends” – Reason is both the source of moral law
(legislator) and subject of the law (citizen).

• Accordingly: “Act always as if you were, through your maxims, a lawmaking

member of the moral community, bound to obey the laws you impose upon
yourself and others”

Translation:
Can this act become a binding moral law for all of us (…including
you)?
 Categorical Imperatives

CI#1 CI#2 CI#3

Could the PP
Does it maxim be
Form a
Could it
become treat willed by you AA
Maxim people
Universal
Law? as an End
and agreed
upon by
SS
not merely
as a Means?
everyone to SS
as moral law
for the EE
community?
SS

No No No

Fails the Categorical Imperative:

IT IS NOT MORALLY RIGHT!
 False Promise: Using Test One

Maxim: I may make a false promise in order

to reap financial gain.

Generalized: Anyone may make a false

promise to get something they want.
 Bad Samaritan:
Using Tests One and Two

Maxim: I may refuse to help another

person in distress who cannot pay me,
even though I could do so at little cost
to myself.
Generalized: Anyone may refuse to
help another person in distress who
cannot pay her even though it would
cost her little to help.
 Can I, or Kant I?

Some potential maxims:

• I will always tell the truth.
• I will always throw my paper wrappers out my car
window.
• I will cure cancer forever by experimenting with one
homeless person’s life.
• I will shoot the POW to get the information to possibly
save my troops.
• I will provide for my family.
• I will steal food for my family if they are starving.
 Weighing “Intent” & “Consequence:”
A Legal Example

• First Degree Murder

– Intent and
consequence
• Attempted Murder
– Intent, no consequence
• Negligent Homicide
– Consequence, no
intent
 Would you do it?

If Grandma Protect a
asked if you Protect a room-
To the
LIE? liked her classmate mate’s
Admiral?
terrible from PRB? honor
cookies? offense?

KEEP Navy CD Aban-

Dollar
IF bill?
gym Player $1000 cash? doned
shorts? ($100) car?
FOUND
Govt. Room- Pirate Kidnap
STEAL? ballpoint mate’s song off Shirt at mall? person?
pen? Socks? internet?

Copy Copy
On term On final
CHEAT? someone’s someone’s
paper? exam?
homework? lab report?

CONSEQUENCES
THE GRAY AREA CONSEQUENCES
LOW HIGH
What would Kant do?
 Universal Principle

• Suppose…
– IED Victim
• Horrific Burns
• Brain damage
• Coma
• Life support

– $1,000,000 life
insurance policy
 Observations about Categorical
Imperatives (CIs)
 CI’s derive their authority from within
– from the rational impulse to obey the dictates of Reason itself
(as an expression of my autonomy)

 CI’s command absolutely, unconditionally, “no ifs, ands or buts”

(no strings attached)

 CI’s are universal, unconditional, NOT subject to variation or change

 Duty and the institution of morality are like this

(Must comply- no alibi)

 “Do this, whether you want to or not, whether you can be made to or
not, whether anyone will notice, reward, praise, or blame you (or
not).”

See any issues here?

 Goods and Others…

Kantian Ethics
Strengths
• Realm of duty, free from utility (Woo-hoo! no math involved!)
• Respect for persons
• Golden rule – do unto others, expressed in rational terms
• Reason based

Weaknesses
• Hyper-rationality and lack of emotion
• The irrelevance of inclination
• Overly formal and universal
– i.e., most of our duties are in social roles
• Inflexibility
• Supererogation
 Aviano EA-6B
Gondola Mishap

“Four Marines were flying in an Crash site near Cavalese, Italy

EA-6B Prowler when it severed
a cable supporting a ski
gondola near Cavalese, Italy, on
February 3,1998.

The gondola operator and 19

skiers were killed. The cables
were from 364 to 370 feet (109 to
111 meters) off the ground in a
valley.” (CNN.com)
 The Case

• Aircrew
• Flight
• Immediate Aftermath
• Aviano 4-8 Feb
• Cherry Point 4-8 Feb
• The Tape
• The Sequel
 Lead in to Virtue Ethics

• How does Kant account for heroism?

– Is it our duty to go “beyond the call of
duty?”

• Wouldn’t celibacy be immoral

– Couldn’t will it to be a universal law
(…not for long, anyway)

• Which person is more moral?

a) A pirate who returns a wallet
b) A priest who returns a wallet
 A Few Good Men

One
Oneof
ofthose
thosecases
caseswhere
wherelaw
lawand
andmorality
moralitycoincide…
coincide…
 Recap CI-procedure

CI1 = formula of “universal law”

Make it law… without any loopholes

CI2 = “respect for persons principle”

People as ends not means

CI3 = “Kingdom of Ends”

You are bound to obey the laws you make… for the
Good of the Community
Kant portrays the first two as derivations from the third,
which attempts to portray the moral situation of a free,
rational individual within a democratic society.
The “essence of morality” is the motive (good will)
behind the act to produce a “…Systematic union of
rational beings under common objective law.”