PHLA11H3 Lecture Notes - Lecture 8: Universalizability
Document Summary
The principle of universalizability: an act is right if and only if its maxim is universalizable. A maxim is a principle of action of two parts, what you are going to do and why you are about to do it. A maxim is universalizable if it is possible to act successfully in a world where everyone has the same maxim. If yes then the act is universaliable and is morally permissible and if it is not universalizable then it is not morally permissible. But kant also says acting in a not universalizable way is behaving irrationally, contrary to reason. The amoralist is somebody who believes in right and wrong actions but just don"t care and don"t think there is any reason to act morally unless it gets you what you want. Kant disagrees and says that morality is independent of our desires, it has power on us as rational agents which is why immoral actions exhibit irrationality.