PHIL 1550 Lecture Notes - Lecture 6: Meta-Ethics, Moral Realism, Golden Rule
26 Jan 2015
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This directly contrasts with consequentialism: morality has to do with the reasons and intentions of acting, hypothetical & categorical imperatives, imperative = a command of reason, the morality of actions depends on what is in our control. We decide what we intend to do. The results of our actions are out of our control, so we can"t be blamed for them: hypothetical imperatives tell us what to do in order to get what we want. Kant doesn"t want maxims to change; they must stay the same: categorical imperatives are requirements of reason that apply ot everyone, regardless of their desires, kant claimed what morality consisted of categorical imperatives. Ethical subjectivism: an act is morally acceptable just because i allow it or my commitments allow it. Cultural relativism: an act is morally acceptable just because it is allowed by the guiding ideals of the society in which it is performed & immoral just b/c it is forbidden by those ideals.
