PHIL 224 Lecture Notes - Categorical Imperative

• School: U of S
• Department: Philosophy
• Course: PHIL 224
• Professor: George Williamson

Document Summary

Housekeeping: try and keep the discussion bored concise and as fluid as possible. Kant"s second formulation of the categorical imperative: principle of the end-in-itself. Mere means = to ignore, override or undermine a person"s autonomy - treat person as merely useful, a functional thing. Two major ways to use as mere means": deception or coercion a person couldn"t rational agree to it as they do no know what is going on: always treat as an end: duties of beneficence. Treat as end: to respect a person"s autonomy. Presupposes not interfering with choices, imposing values, treating as mere means. But also, foster the ability to be autonomous; educate, relieve conditions that would undermine autonomy and share in the ends or values of others. End-in-itself: something with intrinsic value; valuable for its own sake, not for something else;