Deontological theory/ Kant

• The stress is on the concept of duty.

• Not about character ,virtues, and
consequences.
• The model good agent is someone who acts
for duty’s sake regardless of consequences .
• We should act on our duties no matter what.
• If we act on our duties while calculating our
gain/loss, we are not truly good
 Deontology
• How do we know whether something is a duty or not?
• Imperatives-commands
• Kant : two kinds of imperatives
• If y want x, then you should perform Y
• Hypothetical : conditional in form
• Categorical : Absolute and unconditional
• Which of the two Represent Duties? Which of the two
best describe The idea that goodness should be done
without any regard to consequences.
 Deontology
• What is a categorical Imperative?
• Maxim: rules
• You should act on a maxim that can be willed as a universal law .
• Categorical imperative: act on a duty expressed by a maxim that can willed as a universal law
• How do we know if a maxim can be willed a s a universal law?
• Consistency. No contradiction.
• Ex. Should M tell the truth ? Is it a duty to tell truth no matter what ? To answer consider the
universal maxim “ Everyone should tell truth “ . Can it be universally willed in a consistent
manner ?
• Another example , false promises.
• Also: helping others, attending to one’s life, attending to one’s talents
• Another sense of the categorical imperative: Always treat others as ends in themselves. You
should never treat others as means or instruments.
• Duty as rational principles
• Duties as rational principles formulated by the person’s own reason