Kantian ethics is deontological, revolving entirely around duty rather than emotions or end goals. All actions are performed in accordance with some underlying maxim or principle, which are vastly different from each other; it is according to this that the moral worth of any action is judged. Kant's ethics are founded on his view of rationality as the ultimate good and his belief that all people are fundamentally rational beings. This led to the most important part of Kant's ethics, the formulation of the categorical imperative, which is the criterion for whether a maxim is good or bad.
Simply put, this criterion amounts to a thought experiment: to attempt to universalize the maxim (by imagining a world where all people necessarily acted in this way in the relevant circumstances) and then see if the maxim and its associated action would still be conceivable in such a world. For instance, holding the maxim kill anyone who annoys you and applying it universally would result in self termination. Thus holding this maxim is irrational as it ends up being impossible to hold it.
Universalizing a maxim (statement) leads to it being valid, or to one of two contradictions—a contradiction in conception (where the maxim, when universalized, is no longer a viable means to the end) or a contradiction in will (where the will of a person contradicts what the universalisation of the maxim implies). The first type leads to a "perfect duty", and the second leads to an "imperfect duty".
Kant's ethics focus, then, only on the maxim that underlies actions, and judges these to be good or bad solely on how they conform to reason. Kant showed that many of our common sense views of what is good or bad conform to his system, but denied that any action performed for reasons other than rational actions can be good (saving someone who is drowning simply out of a great pity for them is not a morally good act). Kant also denied that the consequences of an act in any way contribute to the moral worth of that act—his reasoning being (highly simplified for brevity) that the physical world is outside our full control, and thus we cannot be held accountable for the events that occur in it.
Act only according to that maxim whereby you can, at the same time, will that it should become a universal law.[1]
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.[2]
Therefore, every rational being must so act as if he were, through his maxim, always a legislating member in the universal kingdom of ends.[3]
In political philosophy, Kant has had wide and increasing influence with major political philosophers of the late twentieth century. For example, John Rawls[4][5] drew heavily on his inspiration in setting out the basis for a liberal view of political institutions.[clarification needed] The nature of Rawls' use of Kant has engendered serious controversy [clarification needed] but has demonstrated the vitality of Kantian considerations across a wider range of questions than was once thought plausible.
Howard Caygill (1995) A Kant Dictionary (Blackwell)
Mary Gregor (1963) Laws of Freedom: A Study of Kant's Method of Applying the Categorical Imperative in the Metaphysik Der Sitten (Basil Blackwell)
Palmquist, Stephen (1993). Kant's system of perspectives: an architectonic interpretation of the critical philosophy. Lanham: University Press of America. ISBN9780819189271. Online.
Palmquist, Stephen (2000). Kant's critical religion. Aldershot, Hants, England Burlington, Vermont: Ashgate. ISBN9780754613336. Online.
John Rawls (2000) Lectures on the History of Moral Philosophy (Harvard University Press)
External linksedit
Media related to Kantianism at Wikimedia Commons
Immanuel Kant, Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy
Immanuel Kant: Aesthetics, Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy
Immanuel Kant: Logic, Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy
Immanuel Kant: Metaphysics, Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy
Immanuel Kant: Philosophy of Mind, Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy
Immanuel Kant: Radical Evil, Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy
Immanuel Kant: Philosophy of Religion, Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy
Kant's Aesthetics and Teleology
April 10, 2024
kantianism, this, article, multiple, issues, please, help, improve, discuss, these, issues, talk, page, learn, when, remove, these, template, messages, this, article, factual, accuracy, disputed, relevant, discussion, found, talk, page, please, help, ensure, t. This article has multiple issues Please help improve it or discuss these issues on the talk page Learn how and when to remove these template messages This article s factual accuracy is disputed Relevant discussion may be found on the talk page Please help to ensure that disputed statements are reliably sourced March 2008 Learn how and when to remove this template message This article includes a list of general references but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations Please help to improve this article by introducing more precise citations February 2008 Learn how and when to remove this template message This article s lead section may be too short to adequately summarize the key points Please consider expanding the lead to provide an accessible overview of all important aspects of the article May 2017 Learn how and when to remove this template message Kantianism German Kantianismus is the philosophy of Immanuel Kant a German philosopher born in Konigsberg Prussia now Kaliningrad Russia The term Kantianism or Kantian is sometimes also used to describe contemporary positions in philosophy of mind epistemology and ethics Contents 1 Ethics 2 Political philosophy 3 See also 4 References 5 Bibliography 6 External linksEthics editMain article Kantian ethics Kantian ethics is deontological revolving entirely around duty rather than emotions or end goals All actions are performed in accordance with some underlying maxim or principle which are vastly different from each other it is according to this that the moral worth of any action is judged Kant s ethics are founded on his view of rationality as the ultimate good and his belief that all people are fundamentally rational beings This led to the most important part of Kant s ethics the formulation of the categorical imperative which is the criterion for whether a maxim is good or bad Simply put this criterion amounts to a thought experiment to attempt to universalize the maxim by imagining a world where all people necessarily acted in this way in the relevant circumstances and then see if the maxim and its associated action would still be conceivable in such a world For instance holding the maxim kill anyone who annoys you and applying it universally would result in self termination Thus holding this maxim is irrational as it ends up being impossible to hold it Universalizing a maxim statement leads to it being valid or to one of two contradictions a contradiction in conception where the maxim when universalized is no longer a viable means to the end or a contradiction in will where the will of a person contradicts what the universalisation of the maxim implies The first type leads to a perfect duty and the second leads to an imperfect duty Kant s ethics focus then only on the maxim that underlies actions and judges these to be good or bad solely on how they conform to reason Kant showed that many of our common sense views of what is good or bad conform to his system but denied that any action performed for reasons other than rational actions can be good saving someone who is drowning simply out of a great pity for them is not a morally good act Kant also denied that the consequences of an act in any way contribute to the moral worth of that act his reasoning being highly simplified for brevity that the physical world is outside our full control and thus we cannot be held accountable for the events that occur in it The formulations of the categorical imperative Act only according to that maxim whereby you can at the same time will that it should become a universal law 1 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 2 Therefore every rational being must so act as if he were through his maxim always a legislating member in the universal kingdom of ends 3 Political philosophy editMain article Political philosophy of Immanuel Kant In political philosophy Kant has had wide and increasing influence with major political philosophers of the late twentieth century For example John Rawls 4 5 drew heavily on his inspiration in setting out the basis for a liberal view of political institutions clarification needed The nature of Rawls use of Kant has engendered serious controversy clarification needed but has demonstrated the vitality of Kantian considerations across a wider range of questions than was once thought plausible See also editAdaptive representation Kantian empiricism Neo Kantianism Schopenhauer s criticism of the Kantian philosophyReferences edit Kant Immanuel 1993 Grounding for the Metaphysics of Morals Translated by James W Ellington 3rd ed Hackett p 30 ISBN 0 87220 166 X Kant Immanuel 1993 Grounding for the Metaphysics of Morals Translated by James W Ellington 3rd ed Hackett p 36 ISBN 0 87220 166 X Kant Immanuel 1993 Grounding for the Metaphysics of Morals Translated by James W Ellington 3rd ed Hackett p 43 ISBN 0 87220 166 X Thomas Domjahn 4 May 2007 John Rawls and Immanuel Kant A Comparison seminar paper 2006 ISBN 9783640089369 Retrieved 14 August 2019 Vadim Chaly June 2015 An Interpretation of Rawls Kantian Interpretation CON TEXTOS KANTIANOS International Journal of Philosophy 1 1 142 155 doi 10 5281 zenodo 18510 Retrieved 14 August 2019 Bibliography editHenry Allison 2004 Kant s transcendental Idealism Yale University Press Thomas Auxter 1982 Kant s Moral Teleology Mercer University Press Lewis White Beck 1960 A Commentary on Kant s Critique of Practical Reason University of Chicago Press R Beiner and W J Booth eds 1993 Kant and Political Philosophy Yale University Press Gary Banham 2000 Kant and the Ends of Aesthetics Macmillan Gary Banham 2000 Teleology Transcendental Reflection and Artificial Life Tekhnehma Journal of Philosophy and Technology Number 6 Gary Banham 2003 Kant s Practical Philosophy From Critique to Doctrine Palgrave Macmillan Gary Banham 2006 Kant s Transcendental Imagination Palgrave Macmillan Howard Caygill 1989 Art of Judgment Blackwell Howard Caygill 1995 A Kant Dictionary Blackwell Mary Gregor 1963 Laws of Freedom A Study of Kant s Method of Applying the Categorical Imperative in the Metaphysik Der Sitten Basil Blackwell Palmquist Stephen 1993 Kant s system of perspectives an architectonic interpretation of the critical philosophy Lanham University Press of America ISBN 9780819189271 Online Palmquist Stephen 2000 Kant s critical religion Aldershot Hants England Burlington Vermont Ashgate ISBN 9780754613336 Online John Rawls 2000 Lectures on the History of Moral Philosophy Harvard University Press External links edit nbsp Media related to Kantianism at Wikimedia Commons Immanuel Kant Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy Immanuel Kant Aesthetics Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy Immanuel Kant Logic Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy Immanuel Kant Metaphysics Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy Immanuel Kant Philosophy of Mind Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy Immanuel Kant Radical Evil Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy Immanuel Kant Philosophy of Religion Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy Kant s Aesthetics and Teleology Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Kantianism amp oldid 1192562380, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
