Immanuel Kant (1724-1804)

 German thinker
 Most significant philosopher in the modern era
 Known for his “categorical imperative” and inspiration for
German Idealism

Kantian Theory

Categorically rejects that ethical judgements are based on feelings.

For him, feelings even serve as obstruction
to our discernment of right and wrong.

Kantian Ethical Theory

Bases moral judgements on REASON

alone
 Reason

It is what deems an action either ethical or not

Good Will

He believes that when we wish to determined the moral status of an action, we consult reason.

Kant don’t agree in many ethicist that happiness is the

summum bonum or the highest good.

He believes that goodwill is the highest good/virtue.

Who is a good person of good will?

 Person who acts from a sense of duty.

 He believes that acting from a sense of duty means exhibiting good will even in the face of
difficulty.

We act morally only when we restrain our feelings and inclination and do that which we are onliged
to do.

MORALITY is essentially connected with duties and obligation.

CATEGORICAL IMPERATIVE

Kant’s moral philosophy is a deontological normative theory, which is to say he rejects the utilitarian
idea that the rightness of an action is a function of how fruitful its outcome is. He says that motive
(or means) and not consequence (or end), of an action determines its moral value.

Ex.

“You shouldn’t kill”

“You ought to help those in need”

“Don’t steal”

HYPOTHETICAL IMPERATIVE

Contingent command, it is a conditional on a person’s wants, needs, or desires and normally comes
in the following form : “if you want/need A, then ought to do B.”

Ex.

“If you want to do well on a test, then you should study a lot”.

Rights based Theories of Kant

Holds that human persons have rights that are autonomous, universal and treat persons as ends. The
foundation of Kant’s human dignity and human rights is duty or reason.

 The right to access the truth

We have a right to be told the truth and to be informed about matters that significantly
affect our choices.
 The right of privacy
We have the right to do believe and say whatever we choose in our personal lives so long as
we do not violate the right of other.
 The right not to be injured
We have the right not to be harmed or injured unless we freely and knowingly do something
to deserve punishment or we freely and knowingly choose to risk such injured.
 The right to what is agreed
We have the right to what has been promised by those with whim we have freely entered
into a contract or agreement.
KINDS OF RIGHTS

1. Moral Rights
Based on consciousness, human sense of goodness and justice that emphasize the universal
rights in any person that can enjoy.
2. Legal Rights
Rights a particular person is entitled to enjoy this legally as enforced by the state/government.