Transcript good will - Jason M. Chang

Duties, Rights, and Kant
Ethics
Dr. Jason M. Chang
Non-Consequentialist Ethics
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Morality is concerned with some intrinsic quality
of the action (that is separate from consequences)
•
Moral right and wrong is not located in the
consequences the action brings about
Perverted senses of pleasure
Maximizing pleasure can lead to evil actions
Immanuel Kant (1724-1804)
“Nothing can possibly be
conceived in the world, or even
out of it, which can be called
good without qualification,
except the good will.”
The Good Will
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What is the good will?
o A good will does not act on the basis of
emotion
o
A good will acts exclusively from principle
(i.e., or “from duty”)
Acting from Duty
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Kant calls acting from
principle “acting from duty”
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Acting from duty involves
doing the right thing on the
basis of principle
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Acting from duty vs. acting
according to duty
Motive of the Action
Kant’s idea of moral worth
• Motive of the person performing the action is
what matters in assessing moral worth of act
•
Action has moral worth if and only if it is
performed from duty or principle
Motive of the Action
“A good will is good not because of what it performs or
effects, not by its aptness for the attainment of some
proposed end, but simply by virtue of the [motive]”
“Even if it should happen that […] with its greatest
efforts it should yet achieve nothing, then, like a jewel, it
would still shine by its own light”
Human as Rational Beings
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Humans beings have the capacity to act as
rational beings
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There exists a moral law that is binding on all
rational beings
Questions for Kant
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Is there a moral law that applies to all human
beings as rational beings?
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If so, what would this moral law be?
The Nature of Laws
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Is there a moral law that applies to all human
beings as rational beings?
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If so, what would this moral law be?
Law Binding on all Humans
Such a law would be a law that…
1.
Rational human beings cannot escape
2.
Is universal (i.e., all rational beings can
accept it)
3.
Is a categorical imperative
Law Binding on all Humans
Such a law would be a law that…
1.
Rational human beings cannot escape
2.
Is universal (i.e., all rational beings can
accept it)
The Moral Law – First Formula
Act always in a way that we can will the
principle of our action to become a universal
law.
PRINCIPLE OF MY ACTION
The Moral Law – First Formula
Principle of action is a universal law
•
•
•
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Acceptable to you
Acceptable to me
Acceptable to all human beings
Acceptable to all those affected by action
Dignity and Worth of Human Beings
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Rational human beings have inherent dignity
and unconditional worth
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“man and generally any rational being exists as
an end in himself, not merely as a means to be
arbitrarily used by this or that will […]”
The Moral Law – Second Formula
Act so as to treat humanity as an end and never
as a means only.
The Moral Law – Second Formula
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Act in a way that respects the humanity,
dignity, and unconditional worth of others
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This involves not treating others merely as an
object for our purposes