Immanuel Kant

1. Immanuel Kant The Good Will and Autonomy

2. Context for Kant • Groundwork for Metaphysics of Morals- 1785- after American Revolution and Before French- rights • Morality is about respect for persons • Informs contemporary thought

3. Critiques Utilitarianism • Utilitarianism leaves rights vulnerable-sacrifices one for whole. • That majority get pleasure or favor a law- not make it right. • No empirical interests, pleasures- not calculation, right.

4. Acting Freely • Acting according to pleasures and desires- acting according to a determination given outside of us.- Sprite ’Obey your thirst.” • Heteronomy- falling from building- governed by law of gravity- fall on someone- not morally responsible.

5. Look for Motive • Ask for intention- why was it done? • Prudent Shopkeeper • The Spelling Bee Hero • Doing what is right- not because of consequences.

6. Kantian Ethics • What is the Ultimate Good?- “Good Will” • What makes a person “good” is possession of a will that makes its decisions on the basis of moral law.

7. The Good Will • Would not forfeit our moral goodness in order to attain some desirable end or object. • The value of other qualities can be sacrificed or diminished under certain circumstances. • Williams- Integrity- living with self.

8. Good Will and Duty • A good will is determined by moral demands- constrained to act in certain ways- according to duty. • The moral agent, for Kant, gives priority to the moral demand- does not mean rule-bound character devoid of the warmth of human emotion.

9. Respect for Moral Law • How different-? Respect the law or don’t- May violate moral requirements. • As beings of rational will- it is a law of practical reason-prescribes now any rational being should act.

10. Imperatives • Hypothetical- an “if then” type of command- desire some end. • Distinction between ends that we “might will” and those which we “must will. • Happiness- indeterminate- happy without; happy with.

11. Categorical Imperative • “ Act only in accordance with that maxim through which you can at the same time will that it become a universal law.” • Incorporates your reason as law. • Becomes a universal law governing all rational agents. • What world becomes by this law.

12. Contrasts in Kant • (Morality) Duty versus Inclination • (Freedom) Autonomy versus Heteronomy • (Reason) Categorical verus Hypothetical Imperative

13. Different Duties • Perfect duty to self-suicide no. • Perfect duty to others- promises as example.- self-contradictory, world. p. 63-4 • Imperfect duty-self-talents. • Imperfect duty to others- helping others.

14. The Humanity Formula • “Never act in a way that you treat Humanity, whether self or others, as a means only but always as an end in itself.” • Respect for persons’ wills. • Regard- not a matter of degree or standard of judgment.

15. Kingdom of Ends • “Act in accordance with the maxims of a member giving universal laws for a merely possible kingdom of ends.” • Our moral obligation is to act only on principles which could earn the acceptance of a community of fully rational agents each of whom has an equal share in legislating principles for the community.

16. Autonomy • “The idea of the will of every rational being as a will that legislates universal law.”- laws are of our own making. • Autonomy- our status as free moral agents is the source of our dignity and worth- we are “moral beings above all.”

17. Virtue and Vice • Virtue is acting according to principles and have moral strength of will. It is not a matter of degree. • It is a disposition to give decisive priority to moral demands.

18. Deontological? • Priceless value of a rational agent’s autonomous will. • Value of good will and person independent of the objects of our rational choices. • You act out of universal principle exceptionless- Elements, (124f).