Kant's Life
When was Kant born?
April 22, 1724
What should guide moral decisions?
Reason and moral principles
You find a wallet with money and an ID. What should you do?
Return the wallet and its contents
What does every person have according to Kant?
Value and dignity
Where was Kant born?
Königsberg, East Prussia
What does Kant mean by duty?
Doing what is morally right because it is one's duty
Your friend asks you to lie to a teacher. What should you do?
How should people be treated?
With respect and dignity
What university did Kant attend?
University of Königsberg
What is Good Will?
The intention or will to do what is morally right
You can cheat on a test without being caught. What would Kant say?
Do not cheat
What does it mean to treat someone as an end rather than merely a means?
Value them for their own sake instead of using them only to achieve your goals
Which two thinkers influenced Kant's philosophical thinking?
John Locke and Isaac Newton
Why should personal rewards not be the main reason for doing what is right?
Because moral actions should be done from duty, not mainly for personal gain
You make a rule that benefits you but wouldn't want everyone else to follow it. Would Kant accept it? Why?
No, because a moral rule should be capable of applying universally
Someone pretends to be your friend only to use your homework. Why would Kant consider this wrong?
They are using the person merely as a means to get something.
Before becoming a professor in 1770, what did Kant do for more than 20 years?
He worked as a private tutor/teacher before becoming a professor
Why does Kant believe the intention behind an action is important?
Moral worth depends on acting from the right motive/duty, not simply on the outcome
You can lie to get a good result, and nobody will know. According to Kant, why can the action still be morally wrong?
Because the principle behind the lie could not consistently be accepted as a universal moral rule
A person helps someone only because they want something in return. How might Kant evaluate this action?
The action may lack moral worth because the person is acting for personal benefit rather than from duty