Philosophy Kant

What does he mean when he states that a 'good will' is good, in and of itself?

"A good will is good not because of what it effects or accomplishes, nor because of its fitness to attain some proposed end; it is good only through its willing, i.e., it is good in itself," the good will is not measured by the ends it results in, or the efficiency in which it allows results to be achieved. The good will is infinitely greater than the sum of its "inclinations."

2nd Formulation

Act only according to the maxim whereby you can at the same time will that it should become a universal law

What are the "three propositions of morality" that Kant enumerates in the first chapter of "Grounding for the Metaphysics of Morals"? What is the moral worth of an action? Explain.

An action must be done from duty in order to have any moral worth. The moral worth of an action comes from the maxim that determines the action, not the purpose of the action. Duty is the necessity of an action done out of respect for the law

Explain what Kant means when he claims that human beings must exist as ends in themselves, and not merely as a means to be arbitrarily used for other relative ends.

An end in itself is an end that is a means only to itself and not to some other need, desire, or purpose One of the formulations of the categorical imperative is to act in such a way that you treat people not merely as means to some end, but as ends in themselves The fact that humans are ends in themselves means that our value is not dependent on anything else; we have inherent worth To treat someone as a means to an end is to use them for your own gain which means not recognizing their inherent value as a human

What is the relationship between will and reason?

Goodwill is when will follows reason Purpose of reason is to foster a goodwill Only a rational being has the power to act according to his conception of laws and thereby has a will Since the derivation of actions from laws requires reason, the will is nothing but practical reason The will is the faculty of choosing only that which reason recognizes as being practically necessary

1st Formulation

I should never act except in such a way that i can also will that my maxim should become a universal law

Hypothetical Imperative

Represents the practical necessity of a possible action as a means for attaining something else that one wants (or could want)

For Kant, what is the only thing which is unconditionally good? Why?

There is no possibility of thinking of anything at all in the world, or even out of it, which can be regarded as good without qualification, except a good will," (393). Kant defends this statement by saying that the things we think of as talents or virtues, such as intelligence, wit, and courage, can easily become harmful if they are applied with a malicious intent, or in other words, without a good will. Even seemingly prosperous qualities such as good health and can lead to pride if unchecked by a good will

3rd formulation

act as if the maxim of your action were to become through your will a universal law of nature

4th formulation

act in such a way that you treat humanity, whether in your own person or in the person of another, always at the same time as an end and never simply as a means

5th formulation

every rational being must so act as if he were through his maxim always a legislating member in the universal kingdom of ends. the formal principle of these maxims is this; so act as if your maxims were to serve at the same time as a universal law

Categorical Imperative

one which represented an action as objectively necessary in itself, without reference to another end