RE: Kant's Categorical Imperatives
May 11, 2014 at 1:47 am
(May 10, 2014 at 4:34 pm)Pickup_shonuff Wrote: What are your views on Kant in this example?
The categorical imperative briefly seems like a good idea until you realize, as you said, that every rule has exceptions.
(May 10, 2014 at 4:34 pm)Pickup_shonuff Wrote: It must also be asked, how does a Kantian establish what is a "Categorical Imperative"? What about in the case of suicide?
Wikipedia Wrote:Hypothetical imperatives apply to someone dependent on them having certain ends to the meaning:
if I wish to quench my thirst, I must drink something;
if I wish to acquire knowledge, I must learn.
A categorical imperative, on the other hand, denotes an absolute, unconditional requirement that asserts its authority in all circumstances, both required and justified as an end in itself. It is best known in its first formulation:
Act only according to that maxim whereby you can, at the same time, will that it should become a universal law.
Essentially, it is a categorical imperative if you can reasonably state that all people should follow it at all times. If you think about it, there shouldn't ever be any problems with having to make an exception to a categorical imperative because they are by definition without exception...and hence non-existent. I'm not sure I understand what you're asking about suicide, but if we could hardly want everyone to kill themselves, so that would be against the categorical imperative.
