Immanuel Kant was an influential philosopher that placed moral worth in the good intentions of a person in performing an action rather than the consequences of the action — such ethics that appeal to duty and obligation rather than practical concerns are known as deontological ethics. The moral law that all objective reasoning would lead to, according to Kant, is his categorical imperative. The categorical imperative is a moral law that stands above all other laws and rules, such as religious, cultural, and legal ones. But what exactly is the categorical imperative and how would we apply it in real life?
The Four Formulations of the Categorical Imperative
Thus the categorical imperative provides a reasoned approach to deontological ethics that makes good intentions more important that the consequences of an action. Kantian ethics, however, has its critics. Some, for example, point out that Immanuel Kant suggests that you could not lie to a serial killer asking where his “prey” is, even if his prey is your friend who is hiding in your closet. To lie in this case would be unethical, according to Kant, because lying is never permissible according to the categorical imperative.
While Kantian ethics cannot be the ethical truth due to the ridiculous conclusions it sometimes makes in certain situations, I believe it is closer to the truth than simple hedonistic and utilitarian ethics, which permit treating people entirely as means without regard to their intrinsic human value. Furthermore, Immanuel Kant has significantly influenced ethical discussions, especially in regards to deontological ethics. This philosophical giant won’t disappear from ethical debates any time soon.
Sources:
http://www2.sunysuffolk.edu/pecorip/SCCCWEB/ETEXTS/ETHICS/Chapter_8_Kantian_Theory/Moral_Evaluation.htm
http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/ethics-deontological/
http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/99359/categorical-imperative
http://www.qcc.cuny.edu/socialsciences/ppecorino/intro_text/Chapter%208%20Ethics/Categorical_Imperative.htm
http://www83.homepage.villanova.edu/richard.jacobs/MPA%208300/theories/categorical%20imperative.html
http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/utilitarianism-history/
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