Kant’s Deontology - 1071 Words

Religion Philosophy Essay a) What are the central features of Kant’s deontolgy? Immanuel Kant believed that to live a good life is to lead a life of happiness. This is not saying that people should only live a life that brings them pleasure and satisfaction, as is often argued in Utilitarianism. Rather it is saying that to live a moral life is to live in a state of peace. For Kant, the Summum Bonum (highest good) describes the ideal, where there is both virtue and happiness. In The Fundamental Principles Kant speaks of a very comprehensive moral argument. This is of the Good Will in which he says â€Å"Nothing can possibly be conceived in the world, or even out of it, which can be called good, without qualification, except a Good†¦show more content†¦We are always influenced in our thinking and our intentions and attitudes change due to those around us. Aristotle said â€Å"Man is a social animal†, which means that man enjoys the association of others and may derive many advantages from it as well as alterations in thinking. Universalisability supports the idea that it would not be fair for one person to follow a maxim while another was criticized for acting the same way. However, after Kant gives the first formulation of the categorical imperative, he offers four examples of the way maxims can be derived from moral law. One of the maxims ‘always tell the truth’ results from the irrationality of breaking a promise. This is a big disadvantage because Kant says you have a moral duty to tell the truth to an inquiring murderer about the location of the person he is looking for. Like in the case of the inquiring murderer, Kant does not come up with a way to resolve conflicts between the maxims: â€Å"you should not lie† and you should save lives†. Both are good maxims but if you follow one of the maxims (don’t lie), then you cannot follow the other (save lives). Other conflicts similar to this would also be unresolved although Kant argues that you cannot know the future and all the other variables involved, and