Evaluate Kant's Categorical Imperative (25 Marks)
Outline and evaluate Kants categorical imperative (25 marks)
Kant’s categorical ethics is a deontological theory of ethics, this means that the actions are either intrinsically right or intrinsically wrong, this is due to absolute law; the outcome of the situation is not important to Kant’s theory even if the outcome may be good. Kant has a deontological theory because he believes that you must stick to the moral rules and beliefs that you have no matter what the turn out. An example of this would be, Lying is wrong, the action you must take is to never lie no matter what the circumstances. His theory is categorical due to that he believes that you are doing something because it is your duty and you have to, it is based on reason alone; this links to deontological ethics because the basis is the same. …show more content…
Your moral duty is something that you MUST do because it is the right thing to do whether you like it or not; e.g. helping an old person cross the road, you do this because it’s your duty to help people whether you want to or not. The categorical imperative theory has no ‘ifs’ it is either a right or wrong answer, it has a intrinsic value and also they are ends in themselves, their authority does not come from achieving an end. For Kant, the only moral imperatives are categorical. Kant created his own his own categorical imperatives in order to helps us determine which actions are morally obligatory and which are not. Kant devised three categorical imperatives; the universal law, treat humans as ends to themselves and act as if you live in a kingdom of
Kant’s categorical ethics is a deontological theory of ethics, this means that the actions are either intrinsically right or intrinsically wrong, this is due to absolute law; the outcome of the situation is not important to Kant’s theory even if the outcome may be good. Kant has a deontological theory because he believes that you must stick to the moral rules and beliefs that you have no matter what the turn out. An example of this would be, Lying is wrong, the action you must take is to never lie no matter what the circumstances. His theory is categorical due to that he believes that you are doing something because it is your duty and you have to, it is based on reason alone; this links to deontological ethics because the basis is the same. …show more content…
Your moral duty is something that you MUST do because it is the right thing to do whether you like it or not; e.g. helping an old person cross the road, you do this because it’s your duty to help people whether you want to or not. The categorical imperative theory has no ‘ifs’ it is either a right or wrong answer, it has a intrinsic value and also they are ends in themselves, their authority does not come from achieving an end. For Kant, the only moral imperatives are categorical. Kant created his own his own categorical imperatives in order to helps us determine which actions are morally obligatory and which are not. Kant devised three categorical imperatives; the universal law, treat humans as ends to themselves and act as if you live in a kingdom of