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Exploring Ethics (Cahn): Kant--Deontology

Kant's Theory Explained

BrianGlenney
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Exploring Ethics (Cahn): Kant--Deontology

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  1. Deontology KANT ON

  2. From last class…. In sum, the class has considered the nature of ethical discourse (Attitude!) and how much cultural differences play a role in how different moral theories are understood.

  3. …To this class Ethical inquiry (business, environmental, cj, etc.) is influenced by a central ethical theory: deontological duties. • Deontology—Good is in a “good will” of a rational being satisfying the duty of the greatest maxim: to only act as if my action were to be made a universal law. (i.e. you must treat others as ends unto themselves.)

  4. Context: Ethics

  5. Where does the “good” reside? Kant: By thought alone (a priori), we recognize that a good will is infinite. Anything that is infinite is an end in itself. So, good will is an end in itself. Since all people have a good will (out of which they have a duty to act), all people are ends unto themselves and should never be treated as a means.

  6. Compare: For Mill, pleasure is both the good and the motivation (NEXT NEXT CLASS) Mill: By experience alone (a posteriori) we recognize that pleasure is the greatest end. Whatever is the greatest end, is the greatest good. So, pleasure is the greatest good. All things, people and objects, exist to as a means for increasing pleasure overall.

  7. Where does the “good” reside? Kant: Good is in a “good will” of a rational being satisfying the duty of the greatest maxim: to only act as if my action were to be made a universal law.

  8. How do we find good will? Reason! “In the preceding analysis the moral law led to the practical task that is set by pure reason alone and without the aid of any sensible incentives, namely that of the necessary completeness of the first and principle part of the highest good, morality. The relation between morality and thought. We desire to act morally. What is moral is determined by thought alone. So, our desired actions are determined by thought alone.

  9. Problem for Premise 1 Problem: 1 is false—we do not desire to act morally: Many do not have moral desires—addicts, masochists, etc. So, their desires are not determined by thought alone. Response: 1 is true, first order desires are not determined by thought (e.g. eating pizza), but second-order desires are (e.g. eating healthy for a good life). Masochists follow their first order desires and need to follow their thought-based second-order desires.

  10. Fixing Premise 1 New Premise for Kant: 1*) “Our “second-order” desires are to act morally.” • Our “second-order” desires are to act morally. (‘We desire to desire to be good.’) • What is moral is determined by thought alone. • So, our second-order desired actions are determined by thought alone.

  11. Problem for Premise 2 • What matters are beliefs (or intentions), not actions or outcomes. Example: Famine Relief After a recent typhoon in the Philippines many people, in ‘good will,’ sent out charitable donations that caused harmful consequences.

  12. Problem for Premise 2 • What matters are beliefs (or intentions), not actions or outcomes. Example: Famine Relief For Kant, sending teddy bears was a good thing: even though the consequences were bad, the intentions were good.

  13. Biggest problem: Kant cannot deal at all with moral dilemmas.

  14. Sum: Good Will Good Will (Kant) cares about the intentions of ones actions directed at treating others as ends, not about consequences at all. Problems: 1) How do we choose our ‘second-order’ desires? Does Kant need a Third-Order desire, fourth-order, etc. ??? 2) Consequences DO matter, but not for Kant. 3) Ethics must be practical, but they are not for Kant.

  15. Response: Kant Simplified? (O’Neill) Kant’s view is just “The Formula of the End In Itself.” “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.” (Kant)

  16. Response: Kant Simplified? (O’Neill) “We just have to chek that the act we have in mind will not use anyone as a mere means, and, if possible, that it will treat other persons as ends in themselves.” (O’Neill: 111) R-E-S-P-E-C-T

  17. Response: Kant Simplified? (O’Neill) Problems: • How do we choose our ‘second-order’ desires? Does Kant need a Third-Order desire, fourth-order, etc. ??? R-E-S-P-E-C-T is the basis of our second-order desires. We desire to desire to not lie because lying is a way to use another person. 2) Consequences DO matter, but not for Kant. If R-E-S-P-E-C-T is the basis of our intentions, then good consequences will naturally follow. If we tell the truth, in the long run, society is better off. 3) Ethics must be practical, but they are not for Kant. R-E-S-P-E-C-T is an everyday practice of implementing the maxim of Ends.

  18. The problem of lying: We MUST Lie to RESPECT In The Invention of Lying, people cannot help but tell the truth because they cannot deceive. But, a kind and trustworthy society cannot function without deception of some sort or other. Without lying: No Kindness No Privacy No Power No Play No Games

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