Overview
This lecture covers chapters 9 and 10 of the textbook, focusing on deontological ethics, especially Kant's categorical imperative, moral rules, and the value of rational agents, including implications for punishment and the treatment of animals.
Moral Rules and Absolute Duties
- Deontological ethics emphasizes that some moral rules (e.g., don't kill innocents) are absolute and must never be broken.
- Debate: Do the ends justify the means? (e.g., Truman and the atomic bomb vs. Elizabeth Anscombe’s protest).
- Anscombe argues some acts, like killing innocents, are always wrong regardless of outcomes.
Kant’s Categorical Imperative
- Kant’s categorical imperative: "Act only according to that maxim by which you can will that it become a universal law."
- Hypothetical imperatives are conditional on desires; categorical imperatives are binding regardless of desires.
- Moral requirements are universal and cannot be escaped by lack of interest or desire.
Critiques and Problems with Deontology
- Rule conflicts: What if categorical rules contradict (e.g., don’t lie vs. save lives)?
- Some suggest rules should have exceptions or a hierarchy to resolve conflicts.
- Kant argues we cannot know consequences with certainty, so we must follow rules, not outcomes.
- Critics say we can often be confident of likely outcomes; absolute rules may lead to disastrous results.
Value of Rational Agents and Animals
- Kant: Humans have intrinsic worth (dignity) due to rationality and free will; animals lack this and have only instrumental value.
- Modern understanding challenges Kant’s view, recognizing animals also have desires/goals.
Treating People as Ends, Not Means
- Treat people always as ends in themselves, not merely as means to an end.
- It is acceptable to use people as means if their autonomy and dignity are respected.
- Using someone strictly as a means (without respecting their autonomy) is wrong.
Retributive Justice and Punishment
- Kant supports retributive justice: Punishment should fit the crime and respect the criminal as a rational agent.
- Utilitarians view punishment as justified only if it increases overall happiness (deterrence, rehabilitation).
- Kant opposes using people as mere examples or tools for societal benefit.
Key Terms & Definitions
- Deontology — Ethical theory prioritizing duties/rules over outcomes.
- Categorical Imperative — Kant’s principle: act only on maxims that could be universal laws.
- Hypothetical Imperative — Rule conditional on personal desires ("If you want X, you should do Y").
- Retributive Justice — Punishment justified by the crime itself, not by future benefits.
- Intrinsic Worth — Value inherent in an entity itself, not based on utility.
Action Items / Next Steps
- Read pages 148–149 and 151–154 in the textbook for further examples and arguments.
- Reflect: Can rules have justified exceptions, and how would you resolve conflicts between them?
- Participate in the class discussion board with thoughts, questions, or objections.