Quiz

The Categorical Imperative in Kantian Moral Philosophy:

• The Categorical Imperative is the central philosophical concept in the deontological moral philosophy of Immanuel Kant.

• It is a way of evaluating motivations for action and is best known in its original formulation: "Act only according to that maxim whereby you can at the same time will that it should become a universal law."

• Hypothetical imperatives apply to someone who wishes to attain certain ends, while categorical imperatives denote an absolute, unconditional requirement that must be obeyed in all circumstances and is justified as an end in itself.

• Kant presented a deontological moral system, based on the demands of the categorical imperative, as an alternative to hypothetical moral systems.

• Pure practical reason is the capacity that underlies deciding what is moral and is contrasted with pure reason and mere practical reason.

• Kant viewed the human individual as a rationally self-conscious being with impure freedom of choice.

• The first formulation of the categorical imperative requires a moral maxim that is true and not tied to any particular conditions, and could be applied to any rational being.

• The second formulation of the categorical imperative requires a person to have perfect duty not to use the humanity of oneself or others merely as a means to some other end.

• The third formulation of the categorical imperative requires autonomy and the fourth formulation introduces the social dimension of the "Kingdom of Ends."

• Kant asserted that lying, or deception of any kind, would be forbidden under any interpretation and in any circumstance, and any action taken against another person to which he or she could not possibly consent is a violation of perfect duty.

• Kant argued that the theft is incompatible with a possible kingdom of ends, and stealing would violate the categorical imperative.

• Kant's ideas have had wide social impact in the legal and political concepts of human rights and equality.Kant's Categorical Imperative: Applications and Criticisms

• Kant applies the categorical imperative to theft, stating that theft contradicts perfect duty, as consent cannot be given to theft.

• Kant applies the categorical imperative to suicide, but it is unclear how it would apply to suicide from other motivations.

• Kant applies the categorical imperative to laziness, stating that cultivating one's talents is a duty to oneself and a rational being has the imperfect duty to cultivate its talents.

• Kant applies the categorical imperative to charity, stating that a rational being has the imperfect duty to help those in need.

• Kant derived a prohibition against cruelty to animals by arguing that such cruelty is a violation of a duty in relation to oneself.

• The categorical imperative was applied in the trial of Adolf Eichmann in Jerusalem, with Eichmann claiming to have lived according to a Kantian definition of duty.

• Pope Francis applies the first formulation of the universalizability principle to the issue of consumption.

• Superrationality is one form of the categorical imperative, which was elucidated by Douglas Hofstadter as a new approach to game theory.

• The first formulation of the categorical imperative appears similar to the Golden Rule, but Kant argues that it is purely formal and necessarily universally binding.

• One of the first major challenges to Kant's reasoning came from Benjamin Constant, who asserted that one must tell a known murderer the location of their prey.

• Schopenhauer's criticism of Kantian philosophy expresses doubt concerning the absence of egoism in the categorical imperative.

• Kierkegaard believed Kantian autonomy was insufficient and that people tend to be lenient in their own cases, either by not exercising the full rigor of the moral law or by not properly disciplining themselves of moral transgressions.