Kantianism

• What makes a right act right?• -it is certain features in the act itself or the

rule of which the act is a token or example that determine the rightness or wrongness of an act

• -the end never justifies the means

• 2 kinds of deontological theories• 1-act deontological system• -right and wrong based on conscience or our

intuitions or a choice apart from any rules• -conscience-to discover the morally right or

wrong to do

• -or nothing is right or wrong until we choose for ourselves what is right or wrong

• Its disadvantages• -it is hard to see how any argument could take

place with an intuitionist• -the act of abortion• 2-it seems that rules are necessary to all

reasoning, including moral reasoning

• 3-different situations seem to share common features, so it would be inconsistent for us to prescribe different moral actions

• 2-rule deontological system• -it accepts the principle of universality as well

as the notion that, in making moral judgments, we appealing to principles or rules

• It comprises of 2 types• -rule intuitionism & rationalism or objectivism

& absolitism

Kant’s rule deontological system

• Introduction • -1724-1804• -was an absolutist as well as rationalist• -reason can be use to work out a consistent,

non overridable sets of moral principles

• -the parents were Pietists in the Lutheran church

• --who emphasized sincerity, deep feeling, & moral life rather than theological doctrine

• --it is the religion of the heart, not the head• --Kant emphasized the head as much as the

heart

• 3 factors influences• 1- Pietism• 2-the work of Rousseau (1712-1778) on

human freedom• --the importance of man’s dignity• --the intrinsic value of man apart from any

function they might perform

• --it is not correct belief/ result that really matter but inner goodness

• --the idea is that God judges us not on how successful we are in accomplishing our tasks but how earnestly we have lived according to our principle

• --the good will as the sole intrinsic good in life

• 3-the debate bet. Rationalism & empiricism• -rationalist claimed that pure reason could tell

us how the world is, independent of experience

• -empiricist denied that man has any innate ideas and argued that all k/ledge comes from experience

• -with regard to moral k/ledge,• -the rationalist-man’s k/ledge of moral

principles is a type of metaphysical k/ledge, implanted in us by God, and discoverable by reason as it deduces general principles about human nature

• -the empiricist-morality is founded entirely on the contingencies of human nature and based on desire

• -as for Kant, it is not desire that ground morality but our rational will

• -the removal of moral truth from contingencies & empirical observation to the necessary, absolute, universal truth

Kant’s CI

• 3 formulations of CI• 1-the principle of maxim and universal law • -act only according to that maxim (general

rule that one intends to act) by which u can at the same time will that it would become a universal law (an objective principle)

• --if u could consistently will that e/one would act on given maxim-that shows moral responsibility of action

• -if not then the type of action is morally wrong

• -for Kant, • --what make a person morally good is to have a

good will.• --what kind of intention makes a person morally

good is the notion of duty• --what does it mean for a person to act “from

duty” is to resolve to do whatever the moral law obligates one to do, out of respect for the law

• 2-the principle of end• -act as to treat humanity, whether in ur own

person or in that of any other, in every case as an end & never as a means

• --man as a rational being is having value which entails that he never be exploited

• 3-the principle of autonomy• -every rational being is able to regard oneself

as a maker of universal law; that is, we do not need an external authority-be it God, the state, the culture, an individual- to determine the nature of the moral law

• In other words,

• -e/one who is ideally rational will legislate exactly the same universal moral principle

• Islamic criticism• 1-man as an independence source of moral

values• -human rationality is central to the whole idea

of morality • -though he is not the only rational, others are

not human

• 2-Its moral principles/ maxims is subjective• -any type of action in any type of

circumstances for a reason( be acted on by all rational being in similar circumstances) doesn’t reflect the universality

• 3-Good will as the universal of lawgiver• -to act morally is to freely choose n make the

moral decision• -without look to society, gov, religious• leader, God for our moral decision, desire,

preference for these will end up to self love

• Intention -Islamic View• I)It include of 3 elements• 1)to u/stand of what one is doing(knowledge)• 2)to want to do it(will)• 3)to want it precisely bcoz it is comanded

• II)intention as a condition of validity• (x knowledge) X (x will) = x responsibility • unconscious X involuntary act= x qualified for

good or bad• conscious X involuntary act=x qualified for

good or bad

• III)Intention and nature of moral action• good/bad intention rely on its agreement

/disagreement with the law

• -it disregard the absolute good without restriction (to justify error as virtue)good

intention X bad action= ?• Bad intention X good action= ?

• IV)Its prevalence (commonness) over the action

• -Intention = 2maintain purity of the heart• -Act =2 develop the wellbeing of the fellow

man• ---decision making faculty + power of

execution

conclusion

• Does it enough by itself????????• Action X (intention-bad)=?• Action X (intention-flawed)=?• Bad action X (intention-good)=?