Kant s Good Will Theory - 1219 Words

Sofia Hughes 817212455 Philosophy 330 Philosophy 330: Major Exam #1 A. According to Kant’s Good Will theory, â€Å"good will† means to act out of an overarching sense of duty and rightness. In order for an action to be borne of good will, it must be done solely because it is the right thing to do, and not because of the results that the action will bring. The only thing, Kant says, that is good without qualification is good will itself. In order for something to be good without qualification, it must be good on every occasion that it is used. Kant supplies three categories of things that are good, but only with qualification: talents of the mind, qualities of temperament, and gifts of fortune or nature. These three categories can only be good when they are had in conjunction with good will. The will is only good through its motives and intentions. B. Kant’s categorical imperative, put simply, is something that must be done. It is a law in itself, and is necessary and unequivocal. It is to be treated as law by all people independent of the desires of the individual, and must be done. This is different from the hypothetical imperative in that the hypothetical imperative is an action done to bring about a specific outcome, and is specific only to the individual who desires that outcome. The categorical imperative applies to all people and must be done regardless of the outcome. For Kant, the moral imperative is the categorical imperative, because it can be applied to a person’sShow MoreRelatedKant s Good Will Theory1219 Words   |  5 Pages According to Kant’s Good Will theory, â€Å"good will† means to act out of an overarching sense of duty and rightness. In order for an action to be borne of good will, it must be done solely because it is the right thing to do, and not because of the results that the action will bring. The only thing, Kant says, that is good without qualification is good will itself. In order for something to be good without qualification, it must be good on every occasion that it is used. Kant supplies three categoriesRead More Ethical and Philosophical Questions about Value and Obligation977 Words   |  4 PagesEthical and Philosophical Questions about Value and Obligation I Recall the distinction between metaethics and normative ethics. Normative ethics deals with substantial ethical issues, such as, What is intrinsically good? What are our moral obligations? Metaethics deals with philosophical issues about ethics: What is value or moral obligation? Are there ethical facts? What sort of objectivity is possible in ethics? How can we have ethical knowledge? Recall, also, the fundamentalRead MoreKant s Theory Of Morality982 Words   |  4 PagesImmanuel Kant is said by many to be one of the most influential â€Å"thinkers† in the history of Western philosophy (McCormick, n.d.), this being said, most of his theories continue to be taught and are highly respected by society. Kant was a firm believer that the morality of any action can be assessed by the motivation behind it (McCormick, n.d.). In other words, if an action is good but the intention behind the action is not good, the action itself would be considered immoral. Those who follow theRead MoreKant s Theory Of Moral Theory1466 Words   |  6 Pagessince Kant s publication of his renowned ethical treatises, deontologists and utilitarians alike have argued over which moral theory is most coherent. Yet, in Mill s critique of Kant, Mill sidesteps this issue, not by directly critiquing Kant s moral theory, but rather by asserting that Kant s moral theory is actually just a for m of utilitarianism. Essentially, Kant s universal law test is nothing more than a veiled appeal to consequences, as Mill correctly claims in his critique of Kant. AfterRead MoreKantian Ethics1459 Words   |  6 Pagesindividuals that have a major impact on one`s life. The teachings usually start from a young age through parents, caregivers and educators in society. Due to their influence on young children`s lives it is their responsibility to make certain that young children will learn to make logical decisions that would contribute in a positive way in society. An ethical theory that would best describe people that influence young children would be Kantian`s ethics. His ethical theory elucidates that morality is when weRead MoreKant And John Stuart Mill s Utility Based, Utilitarian Moral Theory1551 Words   |  7 PagesOne of the most intriguing aspects of moral theory is not merely analyzing disagreements between renowned, intellectual giants, but examining the ways in which near polar ideologies can arise to similar conclusions based on vastly different rationales. Immanuel Kant s duty-based, deontological moral theory and John Stuart Mi ll s utility-based, utilitarian moral theory are prime examples of antithetical viewpoints that share similar outlooks to ethical subjects such as lying and helping those inRead MoreWhat Has Posterity Ever Done For Me By Robert Heilbroner1626 Words   |  7 Pagesregards to preserving the planet. In this paper, I will present Heilbroner s arguments for posterity, in relation to how we treat our environment. In addition, I will compare two ethical theories, Kant s Categorical Imperative to Mill s theory of Utilitarianism. I will then argue as to why Utilitarianism is more plausible in respect to Heilbroner s environmental view on posterity. Furthermore, I will point out why Kantian theory does not at all support the idea of environmental preservation for futureRead MoreThe Ethics Of Non Voluntary Active Euthanasia1050 Words   |  5 Pagesduty and obligation. A medical professional in such situations have an obligation to fulfill the patient s wishes. The nature of their obligation does not sway based on what they personally think. Patients with dementia have some moments of clarity, but because their brains are still deteriorating, non- voluntary active euthanasia should still be permissible under these conditions. In the theory of deontology, it is defined as â€Å"the focus on the duties and obligations one has in carrying out actionsRead MoreThe Moral Value Of Ethics1261 Words   |  6 PagesDeontology Of the many theories non-consequentialism produces, one is called Deontology. This theory states the only way to complete a moral action is by doing ones duty. In Deontology, the end result is irrelevant meaning bad consequences have no affect on the morality of the action. The thesis I will prove is when deciding on the best course of action the principles of Deontology ethics and their emphasis on considerations of doing ones duty, offer effective framework for the moral value ofRead MoreEssay on Immanuel Kant’s Non- consequentialist Ethical Theory 1369 Words   |  6 Pages1. Introduction According to Immanuel Kant the driving force behind our actions should be dictated by what is inherently good as sole consideration and not be based upon the effects of what such actions may produce such as the case in the consequentialist theory of cause. In this essay Kant’s ethical non-consequentialist theory will be briefly investigated and a comparison drawn between the two different theories in order to establish merit in employment thereof in practice. 2. Kantian Morality Central