Summary of Kantian Philosophy

• Kant formulated a moral theory grounded in the idea of duty. It is a deontological theory.

• Consequences have nothing to do with moral obligation or duty which alone counts for determining whether an action is moral or otherwise. In short, an action is moral if it is the outcome of a moral agent’s sense of duty.

• Kant derives a universally valid moral rule of action known as the Categorical Imperative.

• Kant’s categorical imperative can be paraphrased as: A rational moral agent should never act except in such a way that he can also will that the maxim of his action become a universal law. This formulation is known as the universal law version of the categorical imperative.

• Categorical imperative and rule utilitarianism are very different. Rule utilitarianism is based on the consequences of actions; categorical imperative is based on universal moral laws and ignores consequences of actions. For Kant, moral judgments are a priori; they are empirical in rule utilitarianism.

• Hypothetical imperatives are technical means to other ends and have an instrumental value.

• The categorical imperative has another form which holds that human beings are ends in themselves. In other words, men cannot be treated as instruments for securing any supposedly higher ends.

• This formulation of categorical imperative is: “Soact as always to treat man, both in yourperson andthat of another, as anend andneversolely as a means.”

• Kant’s moral philosophy is austere. He sees a constant struggle between human inclinations and duties.

• Kant traces the origin of moral law to man’s rationality or reason. He rejects education, civic constitution, inner perfection and God’s will as sources of moral law.

• Kant’s emphasis on abstract laws leads him into extremepositions.

• Kant’s ethics rest on abstract laws or pure principle without regard to the results which can follow from rigid adherence to principles.

• Moral laws cannot be conceived in a Platonic world and implemented in society without taking into account theirresults.