Religion
How does Kant approach religion?
Kant believes religion should be based on reason and morality, not blind faith.
What are the main impediments to freedom for Mill?
Tyranny of the Majority, custom and tradition, social pressure, and government overreach.
Define heteronomy
Subjection to something else, to be influenced by an outside source
What is Mill's assumption about human nature?
We are fundamentally social beings with a desire for happiness and a capacity for moral improvement.
What set of laws or ideals should people base their actions on for Kant? Explain what the law means.
Categorical Imperative
"Act only according to that maxim by which you can at the same time will that it should become a universal law"
How Does Mill approach religion?
Mill sees religion as a tool for social good, but warns of its potential for harm.
What are the main impediments to freedom for Kant?
Heteronomy, desire, empirical laws, and social institutions.
Was progress possible or impossible for Mill?
Mill believed that progress was possible and essential for human flourishing.
What is Kant's main assumption about human nature?
We are fundamentally rational beings capable of moral reasoning and self-determination desires and such however can get in the way.
What set of laws or ideals should people base their actions on for Mill? Explain what the law means.
Utilitarianism
"The greatest happiness for the greatest number of people"
What is Mills' replacement or cure for religion?
Mill's cure for religious ills is a secular and liberal society.
How does Mill overcome impediments to freedom?
Individual liberty, limited government, tolerance, diversity.
Define A priori and give an example....
Knowledge that comes from the power of reasoning based on self-evident truths.
Example: All bachelors are unmarried
DAILY DOUBLE!!!
How are Kant's and Mill’s views of human nature similar?
They both emphasize reason and morality.
What is Kant's ideal world?
One in which individuals are free to act autonomously and morally, and where society is structured in a just and equitable way.
What is Kants replacement or cure for religion?
Kant's cure for religious ills is a moral religion based on reason.
How does Kant overcome impediments to freedom?
Autonomy, practical reason, freedom of the will, and civil society.
Was progress possible or impossible to Kant?
Progress is neither linear nor inevitable; it is merely possible. Kant does not think that humanity will necessarily achieve emancipation.
How are Kant's and Mill’s views of human nature different?
Their perspectives differed in terms of the primary motivation for human action and the foundation for moral judgments.
What is Mill's ideal world?
One in which individuals are free to pursue their happiness and live their lives as they see fit, as long as they do not harm others.
How do both thinker's ideas exist within the context of religion? (do they go along with it or live outside of it)
Both thinkers' ideas draw from within the broader context of religious thought.
Explain both the similarities and differences in the views of the respective authors.
Similarities: individual liberty, critique of authority, Importance of Reason.
Differences: metaphysical foundations, focus on freedom and the role of society.
Compare the times in which Kant and Mill lived.
Kant lived during the Enlightenment, while Mill lived during the Romantic period and the Industrial Revolution.
What might be the cause or causes that lead to this similarity or difference? Explain!
Different philosophical traditions and historical contexts in which they lived and worked. etc..
How similar would Kant’s and Mill’s ideal worlds be to one another if they could be put into practice?
Their ideal worlds share a focus on individual liberty and a just society. However, Kant emphasizes the government's role, while Mill prioritizes individual happiness.