phil exam 2 part 5 – Flashcards

-An action has moral worth if it is done for the sake of duty. -An action is morally right if its maximum can be willed as a universal law. -

Actions have moral worth only when performed from a motive of duty (rather than merely in accordance with duty) To act from duty= to do the right thing because its the right thing.

(a good will. Goods like intelligence, with, courage are good only when paired with will to do good)

The categorical imperative: (Know Kant's examples) first formulation-"Act only on the maxim whereby you can at the same time will that it should become a universal law" [know examples that Kant gives] a two fold procedure for the test of the CI 1.determine the maxim of the action 2. attempt to universalize the maxim: can it be willed as a universal law? Second formulation-"Act so that you treat humanity... always as an end and never as a means only" -to treat a person as an "end" requires respecting his or her autonomy, which a person posseses as a rational and willing being -rational beings are persons -nonrational beings are non persons and "have only relative worth as means" (kant doest object to treating a person as a means, he objects to treating a person as a mere means)

: Suicide -The action: "A man reduced to despair..." asks himself whether it would be contrary to his duty to himself to take his life" -The maxim: I will shorten my life when living will bring more pain than satisfaction. -Universalizable maxim: "A system of nature of which it should be a law to destroy life...would contradict itself & therefore could not exist as a system of nature, hence that maxim cannot possibly(?) exist as a universal law of nature" The action