KANTIAN ETHICSKANTIAN ETHICS

IDEAS ABOUT DUTYIDEAS ABOUT DUTY

►Kant asserts that we give Kant asserts that we give the most praise to people the most praise to people who perform an action who perform an action simply because they are simply because they are required to.required to.

►They act from duty alone.They act from duty alone.

►Examples:Examples:

A carer who dedicates 10 years of A carer who dedicates 10 years of their life to care for a sick and their life to care for a sick and paralysed parent.paralysed parent.

A soldier who risks his/her life for A soldier who risks his/her life for his/her country.his/her country.

►Both act from a sense of duty.Both act from a sense of duty.

►Kant argued that this Kant argued that this sense of moral duty can be sense of moral duty can be converted into a series of converted into a series of universal laws that all universal laws that all humans ought to follow.humans ought to follow.

►This is not an ordinary sense of duty This is not an ordinary sense of duty but something more extreme.but something more extreme.

►Kant says that it is like the duty to Kant says that it is like the duty to preserve your life:preserve your life:

A wretched man longs for death and A wretched man longs for death and still preserves his life without loving still preserves his life without loving it – not from inclination or fear but it – not from inclination or fear but from duty.from duty.

►This is EXTREME DUTY. This is EXTREME DUTY. ► It is done at a cost to self. It is done at a cost to self. ► It rejects happiness as a basis for It rejects happiness as a basis for

moral decision-making.moral decision-making.

►Kant’s theory is deontological, so it Kant’s theory is deontological, so it recognises the universality of recognises the universality of morality.morality.

►However, sometimes duties conflict.However, sometimes duties conflict.

EXAMPLE:EXAMPLE:

Imagine you are a young man or Imagine you are a young man or woman with a partner and a young woman with a partner and a young baby. One day you are walking along baby. One day you are walking along the street and you see someone the street and you see someone being attacked. You recognise the being attacked. You recognise the attacker as a criminal who the police attacker as a criminal who the police have warned the public not to have warned the public not to approach. What do you do? approach. What do you do?

Do you confront the violent attacker? Do you confront the violent attacker?

Or, do you stand aside and watch the Or, do you stand aside and watch the attack whilst phoning for police attack whilst phoning for police assistance? assistance?

It is praiseworthy to act. You have a It is praiseworthy to act. You have a duty to act, but you also have a duty duty to act, but you also have a duty to your family. to your family.

You tackle the assailant but you are You tackle the assailant but you are killed in the encounter. killed in the encounter.

You have done your duty and the You have done your duty and the media praise you, but you have left media praise you, but you have left behind a partner and a baby.behind a partner and a baby.

►Kant did not accept this Kant did not accept this problem.problem.

►He argued that a conflict of He argued that a conflict of duties is ‘inconceivable’, as duties is ‘inconceivable’, as duties are universal and do duties are universal and do not discriminate.not discriminate.

►Also, emotions or family ties Also, emotions or family ties should not get in the way.should not get in the way.

► Imagine that you are in the middle of Imagine that you are in the middle of a bush fire. Forest fires are ablaze a bush fire. Forest fires are ablaze around you and you can see a row of around you and you can see a row of houses in flames. From the attic of houses in flames. From the attic of the nearest house you hear a person the nearest house you hear a person calling for help. You are duty-bound calling for help. You are duty-bound to respond but you know your to respond but you know your mother is stuck in a burning house at mother is stuck in a burning house at the other end of the street. What do the other end of the street. What do you do? you do?

►Kant is firm. You must try to save the Kant is firm. You must try to save the person in the nearest house. Your person in the nearest house. Your mother will have to wait. mother will have to wait.

►Why? Why? ►Kant argued that the duty to save life Kant argued that the duty to save life

is universal and therefore should not is universal and therefore should not discriminate in favour of a loved one.discriminate in favour of a loved one.