PHILOS 2YY3 Lecture : Kantian Ethics Continued
Document Summary
Reasons determine our actions (as opposed to animals, who act on instinct) Not always acting autonomously, but have the capacity to do so. We set ends and act on maxims of our own choosing. We can be made to do something, but we cannot force the reason for doing something upon someone. These features of human beings, our humanity, is what grounds our dignity (e. x. our incomparable and unconditional moral worth). We cannot compare one human being to any other human being or to a number of human beings, or compare human beings to material objects/wealth. Can t aggregate the value of people the way utilitarians do. Persons: we act according to our conception of laws. Hypothetical imperative: represents necessity of an action as a means for attaining something one wants. Categorical imperative: represents an action as objectively necessary and good in itself without reference to another end. Something that always holds true, not only in particular situation(s).