Name: Kant’s Categorical Imperative and Kantian Ethics Explained - Philosophy
Uploaded: 2022-05-24T10:34:33.000Z
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Philosophy deals with finding answers to questions related to existence,

enlightenment, knowledge, duty, etc. through critical reasoning and arguments.

Kantianism is an important part of western philosophy.

Categorical Imperatives (CI) are central to Kantian ethics.

They are unconditional and absolute and must be followed under

all circumstances without any regard to desires or consequences.

Four formulations form the pillar of categorical imperative argument.

According to Kant, moral laws can be defined and followed

by rational agents using their free will and autonomy.

An act should be done if the maxim behind that can be universalized.

If something can't be universalized, then that can't be termed as moral.

There is no need for any external force to enforce morality.

All human beings including oneself deserve dignity and respect.

If followed in its extreme form CI might result in bad consequences.

Even with many criticisms, there is no denying the fact that CI and

Kantian ethics are of immense influence in philosophical studies.

Immanuel Kant was an influential German philosopher of the 18th century.

He has authored several famous books related to philosophy.

In his book, Groundwork of the Metaphysics of the Morals, he

introduced the principles of Categorical Imperatives (CI).

They are moral laws that must be obeyed unconditionally under all circumstances.

But they are used to measure if a deed is according to morality or not.

CI is not like hypothetical imperatives that must

be followed if certain goals are to be achieved.

The most important concept of deontology is that

moral duties should always be done by human beings.

Acts are performed because they are good in themselves.

Doing one's duty without thinking about consequences is very

important even if the duty is against one's personal desire.

Moral laws are the result of human beings' a

priori knowledge and are applicable universally.

They are derived out of the reason of rational individuals.

There are mainly four formulations to CI.

The first one states that "Act only according to that maxim whereby

you can at the same time will that it should become a universal law”

and “Act as if the maxims of your action were to

become through your will a universal law of nature.”

Maxims can be considered as guiding principles.

Human beings should act only according to those maxims which can be universalized.

For example – one should never murder anyone or should never lie.

People have internal duties to themselves and external duties towards others.

Perfect duties are the ones that should be done under all situations.

Imperfect duties also should be done, but the doer

can decide when and where those should be performed.

Not cheating anyone is a perfect external duty.

Helping others in distress is an imperfect external duty.

Not committing suicide is an internal perfect duty.

Not being lazy is an internal imperfect duty.

The second formulation states that "Act in such a way that you treat

humanity, whether in your own person or in the person of any other,

never merely as a means to an end, but always at the same time as an end.”

They cannot be merely considered as a means.

Free rational individuals should be given the option

to make decisions based on complete information.

Every person should be treated with respect and dignity.

The third formulation states that "The third practical principle follows [from

the first two] as the ultimate condition of their harmony with practical reason:

the idea of the will of every rational being as a universally legislating will.”

Human beings are rational and have autonomy.

Moral laws need not be imposed on them externally.

They are the result of the reason of rational agents.

They act as legislators making up the laws and

at the same time as subjects obeying those laws.

Thus everyone demands the right conduct from themselves and others.

There is another important formulation called the Kingdom of Ends formulation.

It states that "Act according to maxims of a universally

legislating member of a merely possible kingdom of ends.”

All rational agents are ends in themselves.

All these agents acting according to the universal moral

laws can possibly create an ideal Kingdom of Ends.

Only those actions that result in harmony in the Kingdom of Ends should be performed.

Marxism, positivism, political philosophy, some aspects of psychology, etc.

A person lying should think about what would happen if that was universalized.

There would be no value for truth itself and

people would stop believing in each other.

As this contradicts itself, that is not according to the universal moral law.

Theft and deception are also discussed in the same manner.

A person committing suicide wishes to end his suffering.

But that same self-love makes him do things to prolong his life.

As this is contradictory, this is not moral.

People have imperfect duties to help others in distress and to cultivate their talents.

Being not brutal to animals is also an imperfect duty.

According to Kant medical ethics and sexual ethics

are very important if one wishes to follow morality.

Many philosophers were deeply influenced by the works of Kant.

Some among them are Arthur Schopenhauer, John

Rawls, Jurgen Habermas, Apel and Onora O'Neill.

Kantian ethics had faced several criticisms.

One common question posed is whether lying to a murderer