Philosophy 1020 Lecture Notes - Lecture 5: Categorical Imperative, University Of Western Ontario

• School: Western University
• Department: Philosophy
• Course: Philosophy 1020
• Professor: Dennis Klimchuk

Document Summary

Two kinds of imperatives: h(cid:455)potheti(cid:272)al i(cid:373)pe(cid:396)ati(cid:448)e: (cid:862)if the(cid:374)(cid:863) state(cid:373)e(cid:374)t; if (cid:454) the(cid:374) (cid:455, catego(cid:396)i(cid:272)al i(cid:373)pe(cid:396)ati(cid:448)e: (cid:374)o (cid:862)if(cid:863), it is (cid:449)ithout (cid:395)ualifi(cid:272)atio(cid:374); (cid:271)i(cid:374)ds (cid:455)ou (cid:396)ega(cid:396)dless. Imperative is a rule you ought to follow. The principle moral law is the categorical imperative. Mo(cid:396)al (cid:449)o(cid:396)th lies i(cid:374), (cid:862)(cid:449)h(cid:455) (cid:455)ou did it(cid:863) (cid:374)ot, (cid:862)(cid:449)hat (cid:455)ou did(cid:863) Morality is void of any content; this is to sa(cid:455) the(cid:396)e is (cid:374)o (cid:862)(cid:449)hat(cid:863) (cid:373)o(cid:396)alit(cid:455) it. Therefore, it does not direct you to one goal over another. Morality, as you will see in the formulas, stops you from making an exception of yourself. The categorical imperative: two formulas: the formula of universal law: (cid:862)a(cid:272)t o(cid:374)ly a(cid:272)(cid:272)ording to that maxim through which you can at the same time will that it (cid:271)e(cid:272)o(cid:373)e a u(cid:374)i(cid:448)ersal la(cid:449)(cid:863) A maxim is a general rule of why you did what you did. Only act on rules that would be logical to have as universal laws.