kant reading notes 1

Kant Reading notes

1. Case against Aristotle
   1. The life of reason is not necessarily a happy one (pg. 47)
   2. “Categorical imperatives” vs. “counsels of prudence” (pg. 48)
      1. Categorical imperative
      2. Counsels of prudence
   3. Happiness cannot be the foundation of morality
2. A Good Will is the Basis of Morality
3. What makes a will good
   1. Obeying the moral law “for the sake of the moral law itself”
   2. Good consequences do not make an action good
   3. A good will is one that follows the categorical imperative
      1. (3a) The formula of universal law
      2. (3b) The formula of the end in itself
4. Kantian ethics and Christianity

Because sometimes living according to virtues doesn’t always work out in your favor (i.e. a honest business(wo)man could go out of business when a dishonest person could keep business open by some questionable practices)Moral rules that are commands that apply to everyone in every situation.

General rules of thumb that experience shows commonly results in human happiness (put forward by Aristotle)Happiness itself is not always a good thing- seems to make evil people more evil

Bad people can be happy when they do terrible things (i.e. video footage of Bin Laden celebrating post 9/11)

Good will is the only thing worth having, according to KantGood will is always good, regardless of what comes from it

Traits like courage and intelligence are only good/moral if the person with them has goodwill (Hitler’s intelligence and charisma had bad results!)