Kantian Deontology - Part One

Kantian Deontology - Part One Immanuel Kant’s Groundwork for the Metaphysics of Morals

Nathan Kellen

University of Connecticut

February 19th, 2015

Kantian Deontology - Part One

Table of Contents

Course Recap and Plan

The Good Will

Imperatives Hypothetical Imperatives Categorical Imperatives

The Categorical Imperative The Universal Law Formulation

Kantian Deontology - Part One

Course Recap and Plan

Recap

To recap what we’ve done so far in this course:

1. We discussed metaethics, and assumed three theses: I There are true moral propositions I Morality does not vary with cultures or persons I Morality does not depend on god(s)

2. We talked about one type of moral theory, utilitarianism, which came in two forms:

I Act utilitarianism I Rule utilitarianism

Kantian Deontology - Part One

Course Recap and Plan

Recap

To recap what we’ve done so far in this course:

1. We discussed metaethics, and assumed three theses:

I There are true moral propositions I Morality does not vary with cultures or persons I Morality does not depend on god(s)

2. We talked about one type of moral theory, utilitarianism, which came in two forms:

I Act utilitarianism I Rule utilitarianism

Kantian Deontology - Part One

Course Recap and Plan

Recap

To recap what we’ve done so far in this course:

1. We discussed metaethics, and assumed three theses: I There are true moral propositions

I Morality does not vary with cultures or persons I Morality does not depend on god(s)

2. We talked about one type of moral theory, utilitarianism, which came in two forms:

I Act utilitarianism I Rule utilitarianism

Kantian Deontology - Part One

Course Recap and Plan

Recap

To recap what we’ve done so far in this course:

1. We discussed metaethics, and assumed three theses: I There are true moral propositions I Morality does not vary with cultures or persons

I Morality does not depend on god(s)

2. We talked about one type of moral theory, utilitarianism, which came in two forms:

I Act utilitarianism I Rule utilitarianism

Kantian Deontology - Part One

Course Recap and Plan

Recap

To recap what we’ve done so far in this course:

1. We discussed metaethics, and assumed three theses: I There are true moral propositions I Morality does not vary with cultures or persons I Morality does not depend on god(s)

2. We talked about one type of moral theory, utilitarianism, which came in two forms:

I Act utilitarianism I Rule utilitarianism

Kantian Deontology - Part One

Course Recap and Plan

Recap

To recap what we’ve done so far in this course:

1. We discussed metaethics, and assumed three theses: I There are true moral propositions I Morality does not vary with cultures or persons I Morality does not depend on god(s)

2. We talked about one type of moral theory, utilitarianism, which came in two forms:

I Act utilitarianism I Rule utilitarianism

Kantian Deontology - Part One

Course Recap and Plan

Recap

To recap what we’ve done so far in this course:

1. We discussed metaethics, and assumed three theses: I There are true moral propositions I Morality does not vary with cultures or persons I Morality does not depend on god(s)

2. We talked about one type of moral theory, utilitarianism, which came in two forms:

I Act utilitarianism

I Rule utilitarianism

Kantian Deontology - Part One

Course Recap and Plan

Recap

To recap what we’ve done so far in this course:

1. We discussed metaethics, and assumed three theses: I There are true moral propositions I Morality does not vary with cultures or persons I Morality does not depend on god(s)

2. We talked about one type of moral theory, utilitarianism, which came in two forms:

I Act utilitarianism I Rule utilitarianism

Kantian Deontology - Part One

Course Recap and Plan

Deontology

Now we’re on to talking about a new type of moral theory - deontology.

Deontologists are moral theorists who believe that morality is based in duties (δ�oν; duty).

Importantly, deontology is a different type of moral theory altogether from utilitarianism.

Utilitarians typically rely on a notion of good consequences; deontologists typically rely on rules, independently of their consequences.

Kantian Deontology - Part One

Course Recap and Plan

Deontology

Now we’re on to talking about a new type of moral theory - deontology.

Deontologists are moral theorists who believe that morality is based in duties (δ�oν; duty).

Importantly, deontology is a different type of moral theory altogether from utilitarianism.

Utilitarians typically rely on a notion of good consequences; deontologists typically rely on rules, independently of their consequences.

Kantian Deontology - Part One

Course Recap and Plan

Deontology

Now we’re on to talking about a new type of moral theory - deontology.

Deontologists are moral theorists who believe that morality is based in duties (δ�oν; duty).

Importantly, deontology is a different type of moral theory altogether from utilitarianism.

Utilitarians typically rely on a notion of good consequences; deontologists typically rely on rules, independently of their consequences.

Kantian Deontology - Part One

Course Recap and Plan

Deontology

Now we’re on to talking about a new type of moral theory - deontology.

Deontologists are moral theorists who believe that morality is based in duties (δ�oν; duty).

Importantly, deontology is a different type of moral theory altogether from utilitarianism.

Utilitarians typically rely on a notion of good consequences; deontologists typically rely on rules, independently of their consequences.

Kantian Deontology - Part One

Course Recap and Plan

Kantian Deontology

Immanuel Kant is the most well known deontologist. Kant was a 18th century German philosopher and Enlightenment thinker.

Kant’s ethical theory, call it Kantian deontology, derives moral rules (or commands/imperatives), and then argues that they must be upheld.

So Kant derives some rules for his theory, and then says that what we ought to do, what are duties are, come from those rules.

As we’ll see, Kantian deontology is much different than utilitarian theories.

Kantian Deontology - Part One

Course Recap and Plan

Kantian Deontology

Immanuel Kant is the most well known deontologist. Kant was a 18th century German philosopher and Enlightenment thinker.

Kant’s ethical theory, call it Kantian deontology, derives moral rules (or commands/imperatives), and then argues that they must be upheld.

So Kant derives some rules for his theory, and then says that what we ought to do, what are duties are, come from those rules.

As we’ll see, Kantian deontology is much different than utilitarian theories.

Kantian Deontology - Part One

Course Recap and Plan

Kantian Deontology

Immanuel Kant is the most well known deontologist. Kant was a 18th century German philosopher and Enlightenment thinker.

Kant’s ethical theory, call it Kantian deontology, derives moral rules (or commands/imperatives), and then argues that they must be upheld.

So Kant derives some rules for his theory, and then says that what we ought to do, what are duties are, come from those rules.

As we’ll see, Kantian deontology is much different than utilitarian theories.

Kantian Deontology - Part One

Course Recap and Plan

Kantian Deontology

Immanuel Kant is the most well known deontologist. Kant was a 18th century German philosopher and Enlightenment thinker.

Kant’s ethical theory, call it Kantian deontology, derives moral rules (or commands/imperatives), and then argues that they must be upheld.

So Kant derives some rules for his theory, and then says that what we ought to do, what are duties are, come from those rules.

As we’ll see, Kantian deontology is much different than utilitarian theories.

Kantian Deontology - Part One

The Good Will

The Good Will?

Kant begins with a discussion of his concept of the Good Will, which will likely strike most as confusing.

The overall lesson of this section to takeaway is twofold:

First, Kant believes that there is only one thing which is morally good in the ultimate sense.

Second, Kant’s views on the Good Will stress the importance of intentions for his theory.

Kantian Deontology - Part One

The Good Will

The Good Will?

Kant begins with a discussion of his concept of the Good Will, which will likely strike most as confusing.

The overall lesson of this section to takeaway is twofold:

First, Kant believes that there is only one thing which is morally good in the ultimate sense.

Second, Kant’s views on the Good Will stress the importance of intentions for his t