Kant on Duty

Introduction Kant will be the culmination of two themes traced over the ages Kant will be the culmination of two themes traced over the ages

Introduction Will – the most important thing for morality Will – the most important thing for morality

Introduction Kant will be the culmination of two themes traced over the ages Kant will be the culmination of two themes traced over the ages Will – the most important thing for morality Will – the most important thing for morality Law – morality is a law-like thing Law – morality is a law-like thing

Introduction Kant will be the culmination of two themes traced over the ages Kant will be the culmination of two themes traced over the ages Will – the most important thing for morality Will – the most important thing for morality Law – morality is a law-like thing Law – morality is a law-like thing And a further modern tendency And a further modern tendency God is not a good explanation for rights, morals, etc. God is not a good explanation for rights, morals, etc.

Background Age of Reason (17 th -18 th C) Age of Reason (17 th -18 th C) Enlightenment (18 th C) Enlightenment (18 th C) All problems amenable to reason All problems amenable to reason God not a reasonable explanation God not a reasonable explanation Republicanism, democracy, liberalism. Republicanism, democracy, liberalism. American Revolution (1776) American Revolution (1776) Bill of Rights, Declaration of Independence, Constitution Bill of Rights, Declaration of Independence, Constitution French Revolution (1789) French Revolution (1789) Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen

Kant Königsberg (Kaliningrad) Königsberg (Kaliningrad) 1724 – – 1804 Moral texts (all hard) Moral texts (all hard) Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Morals (1785) Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Morals (1785) Metaphysics of Morals Metaphysics of Morals Critique of Practical Reason Critique of Practical Reason

Kant Critique of Practical Reason 5:162 Two things fill the mind with ever new and increasing admiration and reverence, the more often and the more steadily one reflects on them: the starry heavens above me and the moral law within me. … the first view of a countless multitude of worlds annihilates, as it were, my importance as an animal creature, which after it has been for a short time provided with vital force (one knows not how) must give back to the planet (a mere speck in the universe) the matter from which it came. The second, on the contrary, infinitely raises my worth as an intelligence by my personality, in which the moral law reveals to me a life independent of animality…

Normativity Source of Normativity Culture But morals are universal Human Nature But Human Nature is unreliable God But God wills only what is good Reason To be moral is to be reasonable

Types of Theory Virtue or aretaic theories Virtue or aretaic theories the character of the morally good person the character of the morally good person Aristotle Aristotle Consequentialist or teleological theories Consequentialist or teleological theories the consequence of the moral act the consequence of the moral act Mill (next week) Mill (next week) duty-based or deontological theories duty-based or deontological theories some moral value in the potential acts themselves some moral value in the potential acts themselves Kant Kant

The Good Will Groundwork 4: 393 Nothing can possibly be conceived in the world, or even out of it, which can be called good, without qualification, except a good will. Intelligence, wit, judgement, and the other talents of the mind, however they may be named, or courage, resolution, perseverance, as qualities of temperament, are undoubtedly good and desirable in many respects; but these gifts of nature may also become extremely bad and mischievous if the will which is to make use of them, and which, therefore constitutes what is called character, is not good. … Thus a good will appears to constitute the indispensable condition even of being worthy of happiness.

The Good Will Having a good will means having the right kind of intentions or motives Having a good will means having the right kind of intentions or motives to have a good will is to act from duty because you think it is right to have a good will is to act from duty because you think it is right But it is not enough just to have the right feelings – they are an unreliable guide to duty But it is not enough just to have the right feelings – they are an unreliable guide to duty We need a reliable guide to duty We need a reliable guide to duty Find this in Reason Find this in Reason

The Categorical Imperative Imperatives are commands or orders Imperatives are commands or orders Hypothetical Imperatives give reasons Hypothetical Imperatives give reasons ‘Shut the door if you want to stay warm!’ ‘Shut the door if you want to stay warm!’ The force of an HI depends upon the desire for the outcome The force of an HI depends upon the desire for the outcome Categorical Imperatives don’t give reasons Categorical Imperatives don’t give reasons ‘Shut the door!’ is a CI ‘Shut the door!’ is a CI The force of a CI depends of being able to derive it from a single original CI that any rational creature is bound by The force of a CI depends of being able to derive it from a single original CI that any rational creature is bound by

The Categorical Imperative Act only according to that maxim by which you can at the same time will that it should become a universal law (Groundwork. 4:402) In this principle a ‘maxim’ is the general subjective rule of the particular action that you are taking

The Categorical Imperative Application – how to judge amongst maxims Application – how to judge amongst maxims

The Categorical Imperative Application – how to judge amongst maxims Application – how to judge amongst maxims Can I tell a lie? Can I tell a lie?

The Categorical Imperative Application – how to judge amongst maxims Application – how to judge amongst maxims Can I tell a lie? Can I tell a lie? What is maxim? – ‘I may lie for my advantage’ What is maxim? – ‘I may lie for my advantage’

The Categorical Imperative Application – how to judge amongst maxims Application – how to judge amongst maxims Can I tell a lie? Can I tell a lie? What is maxim? – ‘I may lie for my advantage’ What is maxim? – ‘I may lie for my advantage’ Can it be universalised? – ‘everyone may lie’ Can it be universalised? – ‘everyone may lie’

The Categorical Imperative Application – how to judge amongst maxims Application – how to judge amongst maxims Can I tell a lie? Can I tell a lie? What is maxim? – ‘I may lie for my advantage’ What is maxim? – ‘I may lie for my advantage’ Can it be universalised? – ‘everyone may lie’ Can it be universalised? – ‘everyone may lie’ Can it be a law? Can it be a law?

The Categorical Imperative Application – how to judge amongst maxims Application – how to judge amongst maxims Can I tell a lie? Can I tell a lie? What is maxim? – ‘I may lie for my advantage’ What is maxim? – ‘I may lie for my advantage’ Can it be universalised? – ‘everyone may lie’ Can it be universalised? – ‘everyone may lie’ Can it be a law? Can it be a law? ‘Lying’ depends upon a norm of truth-telling ‘Lying’ depends upon a norm of truth-telling If ‘Tell lies’ is the law then truth-telling is not the norm If ‘Tell lies’ is the law then truth-telling is not the norm So there can be no lying  There is a contradiction So there can be no lying  There is a contradiction It can’t be a law It can’t be a law

The Categorical Imperative Application – how to judge amongst maxims Application – how to judge amongst maxims Can I tell a lie? Can I tell a lie? What is maxim? – ‘I may lie for my advantage’ What is maxim? – ‘I may lie for my advantage’ Can it be universalised? – ‘everyone may lie’ Can it be universalised? – ‘everyone may lie’ Can it be a law? Can it be a law? ‘Lying’ depends upon a norm of truth-telling ‘Lying’ depends upon a norm of truth-telling If ‘Tell lies’ is the law then truth-telling is not the norm If ‘Tell lies’ is the law then truth-telling is not the norm So there can be no lying  There is a contradiction So there can be no lying  There is a contradiction It can’t be a law It can’t be a law Therefore I cannot tell a lie Therefore I cannot tell a lie

The Principle of Ends Values Values Conditional Value is given to the means to an end Conditional Value is given to the means to an end I value diamonds for what I can buy with them I value diamonds for what I can buy with them CV depends upon the desire for the end it is a means to CV depends upon the desire for the end it is a means to Unconditional Value is not given to the means to an end Unconditional Value is not given to the means to an end Happiness is an UV Happiness is an UV UV is required to create CV which we know exists UV is required to create CV which we know exists

The Principle of Ends 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 (Groundwork. 4:429) [Compare Augustine’s ‘Scale of Values’ and ‘Love thy Neighbour’ argument]

Autonomy We rise above animal condition if we are moral We rise above animal condition if we are moral We are only free (autonomous) if we are moral We are only free (autonomous) if we are moral Autonomy is the will’s determination of itself Autonomy is the will’s determination of itself Heteronomy is the will’s determination by outsiders Heteronomy is the will’s determination by outsiders Social pressures Social pressures Religious pressure Religious pressure Refusing to think for ourselves Refusing to think for ourselves Acting on feelings Acting on feelings

Autonomy Autonomy is the essence of the Enlightenment Autonomy is the essence of the Enlightenment Through laziness and cowardice a large part of mankind, even after nature has freed them from alien guidance, gladly remain immature. It is because of laziness and cowardice that it is so easy for others to usurp the role of guardians. It is so comfortable to be a minor! If I have a book which provides meaning for me, a pastor who has a conscience for me, a doctor who will judged my diet for me and so on, then I do not need to exert myself. I do not have any need to think; if I can pay, others will take over this tedious job for me. Kant, What is Enlightenment? Kant, What is Enlightenment?