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Principles of Kant's Ethical Theory

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KANT’S ETHICAL THEORY Introduction Immanuel Kant(1724-1804) was German philospher who was the opponent of utilitarianism and supported the Deontological Theory. Kant believed that certain types of actions were absolutely prohibited, even in cases where the action would bring about more happiness than the alternative. For Kantians, there are two questions that we must ask ourselves whenever we decide to act: (i) Can I rationally will that everyone act as I propose to act? If the answer is no, then we must not perform the action. (ii) (ii) Does my action respect the goals of human beings rather than merely using them for my own purposes? Again, if the answer is no, then we must not perform the action. Principles of Kant’s Theory Kant’s theory was actually based on the following five points: • Moral view of Kant is Categorical Imperative. • Universitality: No moral statement can be valid if it cannot be universal. • Intrinsic Values: Every human is an end in itself and not a mean to some other end. • The absolute moral value is Good Will. • Morality should be Non-Consequential. KANT’S CONCEPTION OF INTRINSIC VALUES Intrinsic values The intrinsic value of something is said to be the value …show more content…

“Everything in nature works according to laws. Only a rational being has the power to act according to this conception of laws, i.e., according to principles, and thereby has he a will.” To have a will, for Kant, is to act for reasons. It is to decide to act by taking certain inclinations, or desired states of affairs, or principles, as reasons to act, out of a conception of their good-making

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