Kant thinks trust is the basis for society….when you lie, it hurts society
- lying is the most disrespectful thing someone can do because it takes away their freedom
- two duties never conflict and once a duty, always a duty
Ross (deontologist) believes duties sometimes do conflict
- deontologist focuses on principles/duties: intentions
- consequentialist focuses on outcomes
Utilitarian
- not much difference between killing and letting die
- do not like to lying or conflict
If I didn't lie about where my friend was, then they would go and kill him/her
- Indirectly responsible
- Kant would say I didn't even help
Kant:
- Rules he follows
- Maxims- Act according to moral principles
- "I am not helping to kill"
-Kant believes in death penalty
-Kant says look at duties not the consequences
- follow rules because its the right thing to do
- only one thing we can call entirely good
- good in itself (inherently)- good will (the desire to do the right thing)
- Happiness- eduaimonia: the good life (good character)
- the highest good for Greeks
- Happiness for an evil person is not good
-Kant:
- not all virtues are good because they can be bad if put to bad use
- Only humans count because of morality
- Categorical Imperative: rule that tells me how to make moral rules called maxims, these are life principles
Examples of these rules are:
- do whatever you can to get ahead
- always obey your mother
- tell the truth
- lie to save other peoples feelings
Examples:
- go to the store…imperative
- lets go to the store…not an imperative
Kant: we have a bunch of norms at any moment but most are hypothetical imperatives
- "If you will X, then do Y."
- hypothetical (if)
- imperative (then)
-only binded to these if you want the hypothetical part
Kant: what makes us different from animals is we can set goals and make a chain to accomplish them by using our minds and hypothetical imperatives
Kant: believes happiness is the goal for everyone…but everyone has different things that make them happy
