Kantian Ethics

• Immanuel Kant, a German philosopher from the Enlightenment period, is the father of Kantian ethics. These deontological principles, also referred to as duty ethics, emphasise the process (or duty) behind actions rather than their outcomes.

• Central to Kantian ethics are three formulations of the Categorical Imperative, which is an absolute command that has no exceptions and does not depend on one’s desires.

• First formulation (Universalizability): “Act only according to that maxim whereby you can at the same time will that it should become a universal law.” This entails that if your action’s maxim (the principle behind the action) can be logically applied universally, then it is considered morally correct.

• Second formulation (Humanity as an end in themselves): “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.” Kant argues that every human has an intrinsic worth and should not be exploited for one’s aim.

• Third formulation (Autonomy and the Kingdom of Ends): “Every rational being must act as if he were through his maxim always a legislating member in the universal kingdom of ends.” This means that one should behave as if their actions set the laws in a perfect moral kingdom.

• Kant differentiates between hypothetical imperatives, which provide instructions for achieving a specific outcome (if you want X, do Y), and categorical imperatives that denote moral obligations (you must do Y).

• Kant’s theory is based on the principle of rationality. Kant believed that through a process of rational thought, individuals can discern moral laws and duties.

• The concept of “good will” is also critical to understanding Kantian ethics. For Kant, a good will is the only thing that is good without qualification – it is good regardless of its outcomes.

• Critics of Kantian ethics argue that his moral laws are too rigid, and situations may arise where a strict application of the Categorical Imperative would result in a morally reprehensible outcome. Critics also argue that Kant’s emphasis on rationality doesn’t account sufficiently for elements of human emotion and empathy.

• Kantian ethics reject consequentialist theories, like Utilitarianism, which suggests that the moral worth of an act is determined by its outcome. In contrast, Kantian ethics argue that morality’s value lies within the act itself.

• Kant also proposed the idea of a “moral agent,” someone capable of rational decision-making and hence responsible for their actions. He believed that all adult humans are moral agents capable of determining the right course of action based on pure reason.