How would a Kantian deontologist evaluate an action?
By evaluating the categorical imperative
By evaluating the total good and total bad it brings about
By evaluating the relevant maxim
By evaluating the act’s morality
The correct answer and explanation is:
Correct Answer:
By evaluating the relevant maxim
Explanation:
A Kantian deontologist evaluates an action by assessing its maxim, which is the principle or rule that guides the action. According to Immanuel Kant’s deontological ethics, the morality of an action does not depend on its consequences but on whether it follows a universal moral law.
Kant proposed the Categorical Imperative (CI) as a way to test whether a maxim is morally permissible. The most well-known formulation of the CI is:
“Act only according to that maxim whereby you can at the same time will that it should become a universal law.”
This means that before performing an action, a person must consider whether the principle behind it could be universally applied. If the maxim can be universalized without contradiction, the action is morally permissible. If it leads to contradictions or an irrational world, then the action is immoral.
For example, consider the maxim “It is acceptable to lie to get out of trouble.” If everyone followed this rule, trust in communication would collapse, and people would no longer believe each other. This contradiction makes the maxim immoral under Kantian ethics.
A Kantian deontologist does not evaluate actions based on consequences (which is the method of utilitarianism). Instead, they judge actions based on duty and rational moral principles. Even if telling the truth leads to negative consequences, it remains the moral duty because honesty is a universal moral requirement.
In conclusion, Kantian ethics demands that an individual evaluates their maxim and checks whether it can be applied universally without contradiction. This ensures that morality is grounded in duty and reason, rather than subjective emotions or outcomes.
Here is the generated image of a philosopher in an 18th-century study, contemplating moral maxims while writing in a large book, representing Kant’s deontological ethics. Let me know if you need any modifications!