DEONTOLOGY

The Categorical Imperative

GET101 - Ethics
 LESSON OUTLINE
• What is DEONTOLOGY?
• Kant and the GOOD WILL
• On DUTY
• The Categorical Imperative
• Principle of Universal Law
• Principle of Ends
• Principle of Autonomy
• Challenges to Kantian Ethics
 Biyernes ng hapon, nasa isang klase ka (last class) at
nagbigay ng assignment ang iyong guro. Kailangan
itong ipasa sa Lunes. At dagdag pa niya: “hindi yan
graded”.
Pero may plano kayong mag-tropa na magpunta sa

MOOD Tagaytay ngayong weekend dahil birthday mo pero

naiinis ka dahil bwisit yung assignment na hindi

SETTING naman graded.

(PRELUDE) Ano ang gagawin mo?

a. Hindi mo gagawin ang assignment
b. Gagawin mo pa rin ang assignment

At BAKIT?
WHAT IS
DEONTOLOGY?
• A moral theory that evaluates actions that are
done because of DUTY.
• From the Greek word deon, which means being
necessary.
• It refers to the study of duty and obligation.
• Immanuel Kant’s Groundwork Towards a
Metaphysics of Morals (1785).
CONT.
• Kant believes that every person is a
law-making member of the moral
community.
• Kant’s ethics is a criticism to the
Natural Law Theory
• Moral Knowledge comes prior to
our human experience.
THE GOOD WILL
• WILL – refers to intention or motive
• A person has a GOOD WILL if he/she
does what is right and does so with the
correct motive.
• THE ONLY CORRECT MOTIVE FOR
MORAL ACTION IS DUTY
ON DUTY
• One acts with a GOOD WILL if he/she
does the right thing for the right reason.
• RESPECT FOR MORAL LAW
ITSELF.
• Acting from Duty
• MOTIVATION in our right conduct is
our reason rather than desire, feeling, or
inclination.
 THE CATEGORICAL
IMPERATIVE
• What determines our DUTY?
• How do we know what morality
requires of us?
• What makes a moral act right?
CONT.
• Hypothetical Imperative
• If you want X, then do Y
• Categorical Imperative
• Do Y
• Categorical Imperatives are the right kind of
imperatives for they show proper recognition to
the paramount importance of being morally
obliged.
PRINCIPLE OF
UNIVERSAL LAW
Act only according to such
a maxim, by which you
can at once will that it
becomes a universal law.
CONT.
• MAXIM – a general rule
• From personal to universal
• If you could consistently will that everyone
would act on a given maxim (rule), then the
action is morally permissible. If you cannot
consistently will that everyone would act on the
maxim, then the action is morally wrong.
CONT.
• Any moral rule must be
UNIVERSALIZABLE.
• We must consider our duties
equal to those of everyone
else. (Impartiality)
• There are no exceptions to
rules.
THE PRINCIPLE
OF ENDS
So act as to treat
humanity, whether in
your person or in that of
any other, in every case
as an end and never as
merely a means.
CONT.
• Humans are intrinsically valuable because of
their inherent rational faculty.
• It is morally wrong to use someone as a thing.
• People are treated merely as a means when we
do not respect and recognize their dignity,
rights, and autonomy.
THE PRINCIPLE
OF AUTONOMY
So act as if you were
always through your
maxims a law-making
member of the kingdom
of ends.
CONT.
• A WEB of rational beings.
• The people in such community
must be capable of determining the
moral rules that they have to live
by.
• Moral rules must be freely chosen
by US.
CONT.
• AUTONOMY and HETERONOMY
• Reason is what is best in us.
• We are to see others as the center of their
own life plans, and to respect their
decisions even when we may disagree
with them.
CHALLENGES TO
KANTIAN ETHICS
• Moral rules are ABSOLUTE and
EXCEPTIONLESS
• On MOTIVATION
• Kantian Ethics is unrealistic and
demanding.
• People with Special Needs and the
kingdom of ends.
 SUMMARY
• DEONTOLOGICAL ETHICAL • Challenges to Kantian Ethics
THEORY
• The GOOD WILL – motivation for
• Absolutist and
right action Exceptionless
• DUTY – the only reason for moral • Motivation is unrealistic
action and demanding
• The Categorical Imperative
• Rationally Impaired people
• Principle of Universal Law
• Principle of Ends
• Principle of Autonomy