Kantianism PDF

What makes a right act right? -it is certain features in the act itself or the rule of which the act is a token or example that determine the rightness or wrongness of an act -the end never justifies the means 2 kinds of deontological theories 1-act deontological system -right and wrong b...

What makes a right act right? -it is certain features in the act itself or the rule of which the act is a token or example that determine the rightness or wrongness of an act -the end never justifies the means 2 kinds of deontological theories 1-act deontological system -right and wrong based on conscience or our intuitions or a choice apart from any rules -conscience-to discover the morally right or wrong to do -or nothing is right or wrong until we choose for ourselves what is right or wrong Its disadvantages -it is hard to see how any argument could take place with an intuitionist -the act of abortion 2-it seems that rules are necessary to all reasoning, including moral reasoning 3-different situations seem to share common features, so it would be inconsistent for us to prescribe different moral actions 2-rule deontological system -it accepts the principle of universality as well as the notion that, in making moral judgments, we appealing to principles or rules It comprises of 2 types -rule intuitionism & rationalism or objectivism & absolitism Kant’s rule deontological system Introduction -1724-1804 -was an absolutist as well as rationalist -reason can be use to work out a consistent, non overridable sets of moral principles -the parents were Pietists in the Lutheran church --who emphasized sincerity, deep feeling, & moral life rather than theological doctrine --it is the religion of the heart, not the head --Kant emphasized the head as much as the heart 3 factors influences 1- Pietism 2-the work of Rousseau (1712-1778) on human freedom --the importance of man’s dignity --the intrinsic value of man apart from any function they might perform --it is not correct belief/ result that really matter but inner goodness --the idea is that God judges us not on how successful we are in accomplishing our tasks but how earnestly we have lived according to our principle --the good will as the sole intrinsic good in life 3-the debate bet. Rationalism & empiricism -rationalist claimed that pure reason could tell us how the world is, independent of experience -empiricist denied that man has any innate ideas and argued that all k/ledge comes from experience -with regard to moral k/ledge, -the rationalist-man’s k/ledge of moral principles is a type of metaphysical k/ledge, implanted in us by God, and discoverable by reason as it deduces general principles about human nature -the empiricist-morality is founded entirely on the contingencies of human nature and based on desire -as for Kant, it is not desire that ground morality but our rational will -the removal of moral truth from contingencies & empirical observation to the necessary, absolute, universal truth Kant’s CI 3 formulations of CI 1-the principle of maxim and universal law -act only according to that maxim (general rule that one intends to act) by which u can at the same time will that it would become a universal law (an objective principle) --if u could consistently will that e/one would act on given maxim-that shows moral responsibility of action -if not then the type of action is morally wrong -for Kant, --what make a person morally good is to have a good will. --what kind of intention makes a person morally good is the notion of duty --what does it mean for a person to act “from duty” is to resolve to do whatever the moral law obligates one to do, out of respect for the law 2-the principle of end -act as to treat humanity, whether in ur own person or in that of any other, in every case as an end & never as a means --man as a rational being is having value which entails that he never be exploited 3-the principle of autonomy -every rational being is able to regard oneself as a maker of universal law; that is, we do not need an external authority-be it God, the state, the culture, an individual- to determine the nature of the moral law In other words, -e/one who is ideally rational will legislate exactly the same universal moral principle Islamic criticism 1-man as an independence source of moral values -human rationality is central to the whole idea of morality -though he is not the only rational, others are not human 2-Its moral principles/ maxims is subjective -any type of action in any type of circumstances for a reason( be acted on by all rational being in similar circumstances) doesn’t reflect the universality 3-Good will as the universal of lawgiver -to act morally is to freely choose n make the moral decision -without look to society, gov, religious leader, God for our moral decision, desire, preference for these will end up to self love