Immanuel Kant

Two worlds

• Reason is part of the intelligible world

• Sensible (Lesser faculty)Part of the world of nature (empirical)

Prudence

• Aims at a purpose beyond the act (intention)

• Operates from a hypothetical imperative

Autonomy of the Will (Duty)

• Consideration of ends cannot be of primary importance for the moral agent, since a moral action is one that is commanded for it’s own sake.

The moral worth of an action lies not in the

purpose to be attained by it, but in the maxim

according with which it is decided upon.

• Nothing can be conceived in the world, or even out of it which can be called good without qualification except a

•good will. (true maxim)

CATEGORICAL IMPERATIVE

• Never act except in such a way that I can also will that my maxim should become a universal law.

• Treat person (whether in yourself or others) always as an end and never as a means only.

• Treat all persons as members of the kingdom of ends.

Problems

• How does one decide the correct description and, hence, maxim, of the proposed act?

• How can reason alone be a motive to an action of the will? (Denied by Hume) (I ought to follow a moral course of action whether I desire it or not.)