PHIL 237 Chapter Notes - Chapter 5: Categorical Imperative, Tomregan

• School: McGill University
• Department: Philosophy
• Course: PHIL 237
• Professor: Kristin Voigt

Document Summary

Kant denies any consequentialist elements to his theory. Instead, whether or not a contemplated course of action is morally permissible will depend on whether or not it conforms to what he terms the moral law, the categorical imperative. Our duties can be understood in terms of respecting this imperative, even if respecting the moral law leads to bad effects rather than good ones. Thou shalt not lie" does not hold only for men, as if other rational beings had no need to abide by it, and so with all other moral laws properly so called [ ] the ground of obligation here must therefore be sought not in the nature of man nor in the circumstances of the world in which man is placed, but must be sought a priori solely in the concepts of pure reason. Indeed, the very concept of a moral duty must be understood independent of desire. Genuine moral duties are categorical and unconditional.