CN 6147 – Ethics

2:00-3:00 PM M-Th

Instructor: Ms. Jessa Christine T. Flores

Topic: Chapter 2, Lesson 1: Freedom and Moral Acts

Prepared by: Bobong D. Batuampar III

Krysllene Joy Pacol

Freedom and Moral Acts

Part 1: Kantian Ethics

Learning Objectives:
At the end of the lesson, students should be able to:

 Know about Kantian Philosophy on Freedom and Morality

 Define Kant’s Moral Law
 Determine the connection between Morality, Freedom, and Reason through the
Kantian Lens
 Define Categorical Imperatives

Immanuel Kant

 Was a German Philosopher and is the central figure in Modern Philosophy.

 Was born on April 22,1724 at Konigsberg (now Kaliningrad, Russia)

 Died on February 12,1804

 Mostly associated with Deontology or Kantian Ethics

 He influenced other critical thinkers and philosophers such as Georg Wilhelm

Friedrich Hegel, Max Weber, Friedrich Nietzsche, and many more.
Kant’s Morality and Freedom

Freedom – defined as a concept which is involved at the moral domain, with the
question: what should I do?

 It is choosing the end itself, for its own sake.

Morality – morality are acts defined by duties and one’s action is moral if it is an act
motivated by duty.

Moral Law – according to Kant, moral laws are laws that an individual gives to
him/herself.

Autonomy – according to Kant, autonomy is a defining characteristic of human will- or

rather, of the will of the human beings who are capable of rational deliberation.

For Kant, a person is autonomous if and only if his actions are unaffected by external or
inessential, to himself.

Reason – it is the capability of humans to be rational. It is what sets us aside from

beasts or animals.

Determining the connection between Morality, Freedom, and Reason through the
Kantian lens

1. Duty vs Inclination (morality) – only the motive of duty, acting according to the
law I give myself confers moral worth to an action. Any other motive, while
possibly commendable, cannot give an action moral worth.
2. Autonomy vs Heteronomy (freedom) – I am only free when my will is
determined autonomously, governed by the law I give myself. Being part of
nature, I am not exempt from its laws and I’m inclined or compelled to act
according to those laws (acting heteronomously). My capacity for reason opens
another possibility, that of acting according to laws other than the laws of nature:
the laws I give myself. This reason, “pure practical reason”, legislates a priori –
regardless of all empirical ends.
 3. Categorical vs Hypothetical Imperatives (reason) – Kant acknowledges two
ways in which reason can command the will, two imperatives. Hypothetical
Imperative uses instrumental reason: If I want X, I must do Y. Hypothetical
imperative is always conditional. Categorical imperative on the other hand, is
non-conditional. “It is concerned not with the matter of the action and its
presumed results, but with its form, and with the principle from which it follows.
And what is essentially good in the action consists in the mental disposition, let
the consequences be what they may.

Categorical Imperatives

Categorical imperatives comes from the idea of a law that binds us as rational beings
regardless of any particular ends. According to Kant, categorical imperatives are moral
laws that every human being must follow regardless of their desires or extenuating
circumstances.

Categorical imperatives are absolutes and our moral obligations. They are
derived from human reason.

Here are two main formulations of the Categorical Imperative:

1. “Act only on that maxim whereby you can at the same time will that it should
become a universal law without contradiction.”
Maxim – rules or principles that give reason to action.
This is a “universalizing test” that checks whether my action puts my interests
and circumstances ahead of everyone else’s. My action will fail the test if it
results in a contradiction.

Example: “I want a loan, but I know I won’t have the money to repay it. I’m
considering making a promise I know I can’t keep.”

Existing maxim: “Always keep your promises”

 What would happen if you try to universalize a maxim or law that says, “One
should make a false promise every time he or she borrows money and has no
money to repay it”?

2. “Act in such a way that you always treat humanity, whether in your own person or
in the person of any other, never simply as a means, but always at the same time
as end.”

For Kant, human existence has in itself an absolute value – it is an end in itself
and the only ground of a possible categorical imperative.

Part 2: Role of Freedom in Morality; Human Acts vs Acts of Humans

Learning Objectives:

At the end of the lesson, students should be able to:

 Determine the role of Freedom in Morality;

 Find out the role of Freedom as a foundation of Moral Act;
 Investigate how Freedom affects Free Will; and
 Distinguish Human Acts from Acts of Humans.

Role of Freedom in Morality

Ethics – personal aspect of morality

 It is cultivated by virtue.

Virtue – refers to the development of character traits so that choosing good becomes a
habit

 Also known as moral excellence.

Freedom is needed in order to cultivate virtues.

The interpersonal aspect of morality is more concerned about rule following.

Rules prevent us from “colliding” with each other. (Basically, creation of Order)

The presence of rules enable us to do the following:

 Enabling us to live together in harmony;

 Help us recognize the rights of others.

Freedom is essential for society to progress.

- Recognizing the rights of others, and respecting and honoring the dignity of
humans other than ourselves aids in the development of society.
- Liberty affords us the greatest space possible to pursue our projects, in a way
that enables us to live well with one another.
- A society of domination (taking advantage over other people) only hinders the
progress.

Having a final end does not remove the need for liberty

- Freedom remains essential.

- Freedom is so precious that it cannot be overwritten.
o Even God, the grantor of our freedom, will not override our freedom
even if we use it for the wrong reasons.

We all should remember that we won’t be able to go anywhere, especially towards our
goals, without freedom. Hence, freedom is essential to a genuinely good human life at
all levels of morality.

Freedom: The Foundation of Moral Act

Freedom is human’s greatest quality and it is a reflection of our Creator.

Freedom is rooted in reason and will, to act or not to act, and so on and so forth on
one’s own responsibility.

Q: What separates us from animals?

A: Reason (intellect) and Will (moral action)

Good and evil are forged in freedom.

- The higher an individual’s freedom is, the higher his/her capability to do

good.
- The less freedom you have, the higher your tendency to commit a sin.

Freedom and Free Will

Humans are not all equally free. There are still limits to our freedom: both external and
internal.

External Freedom is a freedom from factors outside ourselves that limit or destroy our
free will.

Examples of external freedom are:

- Money
- Resources
- Personnel
- Laws

Internal Freedom, on the other hand, is a freedom from interior factors that limit our
free will.

Examples of external freedom are:

- Conscience
- Achieving personal goals
- Breaking bad habits
- Perseverance

Requirement of True Freedom

True freedom is dependent on TRUTH.

“You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” – John 8:32
WORDS TO REMEMBER:

 True freedom is oriented toward the good.

 True freedom requires responsibility
 Evil enslaves us and diminishes our freedom

Human Acts vs Acts of Humans

Human acts refers to actions that make use of our capability as rational beings.
(making use of one’s knowledge and free will)

Acts of Humans are actions that do not make use of his/her intellect or will.

Human Acts Acts of Humans

Elements: Knowledge and Free Will
 Acts or actions done consciously
and freely by human beings.
 Free and voluntary; done with
knowledge and consent.
 Under our control
 Done with full knowledge and of
his/her own will
Modifiers: Ignorance
 Naturally exhibited by man
 Natural involuntary actions
 Acts of person without the proper
use of reason
 Acts may become human acts if
done with malice or when directed
by will

Examples of Acts of Humans

 Breathing
 Blinking
 Sneezing
 Digestion
 Circulation of blood and oxygen
Examples of Human Acts

 Working
 Studying
 Walking to places
 Eating healthy/unhealthy foods
 Going to school

Reference

Leaño, R. D., & Gubia-on, A. B. (2018). Ethics for college students. Mindshapers
Co., Inc.