Kantian Ethics Leadership & Ethics (NAV 4402) 06 FEB 07 SSgt Thomas Buettner.

Kantian EthicsKantian Ethics

Leadership & Ethics (NAV Leadership & Ethics (NAV 4402)4402)

06 FEB 0706 FEB 07

SSgt Thomas BuettnerSSgt Thomas Buettner

““The Laws of Freedom”The Laws of Freedom”

What does this statement mean to What does this statement mean to YOU?YOU?

What does the term LAW imply?What does the term LAW imply? What does the term FREEDOM imply?What does the term FREEDOM imply?

ObjectivesObjectives

Understand Kantian EthicsUnderstand Kantian Ethics Be able to apply Kantian Ethics to Be able to apply Kantian Ethics to

different scenarios/casesdifferent scenarios/cases Be able to distinguish the differences Be able to distinguish the differences

between Utilitarianism and between Utilitarianism and KantianismKantianism

OutlineOutline

1.1. Case Study #1Case Study #12.2. BiographyBiography3.3. Kant’s PhilosophyKant’s Philosophy4.4. TermsTerms5.5. Categorical ImperativeCategorical Imperative6.6. Utilitarianism vs. KantianismUtilitarianism vs. Kantianism7.7. Strengths of Kantian EthicsStrengths of Kantian Ethics8.8. Weaknesses of Kantian EthicsWeaknesses of Kantian Ethics9.9. Case StudiesCase Studies10.10. ResourcesResources

Case StudyCase StudyIllegal Immigrant WorkerIllegal Immigrant Worker

Situation: Your uncle owns a construction Situation: Your uncle owns a construction company and pays his immigrant company and pays his immigrant employees “under the table” for $2 less employees “under the table” for $2 less than minimum wage.than minimum wage.

External Info: Your uncle, in your opinion, is a External Info: Your uncle, in your opinion, is a great guy that has many talents and has a great guy that has many talents and has a family of four; your dad works for him too.family of four; your dad works for him too.

Question: An IRS agent asks you to see the Question: An IRS agent asks you to see the tax records for the employees because you tax records for the employees because you are the accountant and you just started are the accountant and you just started working for your uncle last week. What do working for your uncle last week. What do you do?you do?

BiographyBiography

EducationEducation ReligionReligion Young ScholarYoung Scholar The Critical TurnThe Critical Turn Bachelorism and devotion to Bachelorism and devotion to

understandingunderstanding

Kant’s PhilosophyKant’s Philosophy

Autonomous DecisionsAutonomous Decisions Deontology (Deon = Duty)Deontology (Deon = Duty) Actions in themselves are right or Actions in themselves are right or

wrongwrong Ethical rules should never be brokenEthical rules should never be broken Human valueHuman value Duties – used to derive reason and Duties – used to derive reason and

moral decisionmoral decision

TAKE HOME MESSAGETAKE HOME MESSAGE

Kantianism Principle of Universalized Kantianism Principle of Universalized Respect is: ACT ALWAYS SO THAT Respect is: ACT ALWAYS SO THAT YOU RESPECT EVERY HUMAN BEING, YOU RESPECT EVERY HUMAN BEING, YOURSELF AND OTHERS, AS A YOURSELF AND OTHERS, AS A RATIONALRATIONAL BEING BEING

“ “The obligation to do our duty is The obligation to do our duty is unconditionalunconditional. . That is, we must do it for the That is, we must do it for the sake of dutysake of duty, , because it is because it is the right thing to dothe right thing to do, not because , not because it will profit us psychologically, or it will profit us psychologically, or economically, not because if we don’t do it and economically, not because if we don’t do it and get caught we’ll be punished. The get caught we’ll be punished. The categorical categorical imperativeimperative was Kant’s name for this was Kant’s name for this inbred, inbred, self-imposedself-imposed restraint, for the command of restraint, for the command of conscience within that tells us that the only conscience within that tells us that the only true moral act is done from a pure true moral act is done from a pure sense of sense of dutyduty.” .”

-- Admiral James Stockdale-- Admiral James Stockdale

TermsTerms WILL and the GOOD WILL:WILL and the GOOD WILL:

- A power of self-determination via rational - A power of self-determination via rational deliberationdeliberation- *** Not the same as desire or inclination (animals - *** Not the same as desire or inclination (animals can not will)can not will)- The only thing conceivable that can be taken as - The only thing conceivable that can be taken as good without qualificationgood without qualification- It’s virtue is completely separate from any end- It’s virtue is completely separate from any end

MAXIM (intention)MAXIM (intention)- A personal rule on which we make our decisions- A personal rule on which we make our decisions- The principle on which the actor sees himself or - The principle on which the actor sees himself or herself actingherself acting

TermsTerms

DUTYDUTY

- Inbred, Self Imposed- Inbred, Self Imposed

- The obligation required of us as rational - The obligation required of us as rational beingsbeings

- In order for an act to be morally - In order for an act to be morally praiseworthy, it must be done for the sake of praiseworthy, it must be done for the sake of dutyduty

-Shopkeeper -Shopkeeper

- It is all about MAXIMS- It is all about MAXIMS

Categorical ImperativeCategorical Imperative

Supreme Principle of MoralitySupreme Principle of Morality

- Motives are more important than - Motives are more important than consequencesconsequences

1.1. UniversalizationUniversalization

2.2. The Formula of the End in ItselfThe Formula of the End in Itself

3.3. Using Persons as Mere MeansUsing Persons as Mere Means

4.4. Treating Person as End in ThemselvesTreating Person as End in Themselves

5.5. Intentions and ResultsIntentions and Results

Kant’s Duty vs. Military DutyKant’s Duty vs. Military Duty

- Kant’s Duty = Moral Code, InbredKant’s Duty = Moral Code, Inbred

- Military Duty= External, Greater PurposeMilitary Duty= External, Greater Purpose

- BothBoth

- self-discipline- self-discipline

- commitment- commitment

- Parallel? - Parallel?

What Does it all Mean?What Does it all Mean?

““GOOD WILLGOOD WILL”: THE INTENTION/CHOICE THAT IMPELS ”: THE INTENTION/CHOICE THAT IMPELS A PERSON TO DO WHAT IS RIGHT, BECAUSE IT IS A PERSON TO DO WHAT IS RIGHT, BECAUSE IT IS RIGHTRIGHT. SELF IMPOSED, THROUGH REASON. . SELF IMPOSED, THROUGH REASON.

RIGHTRIGHT ACTIONS: ARE THOSE ACTIONS DONE IN ACTIONS: ARE THOSE ACTIONS DONE IN ACCORDANCE WITH “ACCORDANCE WITH “DUTY”DUTY”

DUTYDUTY: ACTION MANDATED BY THE MORAL LAW. : ACTION MANDATED BY THE MORAL LAW. DOING THE THINGS YOU ARE PERMITTED BY THE DOING THE THINGS YOU ARE PERMITTED BY THE CATEGORICAL IMPERATIVECATEGORICAL IMPERATIVE

CATEGORICAL IMPERATIVECATEGORICAL IMPERATIVE: A MORAL “TEST” FOR : A MORAL “TEST” FOR RIGHTNESS OF AN ACTRIGHTNESS OF AN ACT

From:From:Capt. Rick RubelCapt. Rick Rubel

Strength’s of Kantian EthicsStrength’s of Kantian Ethics

-Duty: Commitment to stay the course -Duty: Commitment to stay the course regardless of consequencesregardless of consequences

-Respect for Humanity: Treatment of -Respect for Humanity: Treatment of people as endspeople as ends

-Formula for perfect human life?-Formula for perfect human life?

Weakness of Kantian EthicsWeakness of Kantian Ethics

- Too rigid? Too rigid?

- What is our duty?What is our duty?

- Conflicting Duty?Conflicting Duty?

- Intentions and ResultsIntentions and Results

KANTIAN VS. UTILITARIANKANTIAN VS. UTILITARIAN UTILITARIANISM UTILITARIANISM

Greatest Happiness PrincipleGreatest Happiness Principle The rightness or wrongness of an act The rightness or wrongness of an act

depends upon the consequences. (the depends upon the consequences. (the END Justifies the MEANS)END Justifies the MEANS)

KANTIAN ETHICS KANTIAN ETHICS Supreme Principle of MoralitySupreme Principle of Morality The rightness or wrongness of an act The rightness or wrongness of an act

depends upon universal laws of action depends upon universal laws of action (the END never Justifies the MEANS)(the END never Justifies the MEANS)

It is all about DUTYIt is all about DUTY

Case StudyCase StudyIllegal Immigrant WorkerIllegal Immigrant Worker

Situation: Your uncle owns a construction Situation: Your uncle owns a construction company and pays his immigrant company and pays his immigrant employees “under the table” for $2 less employees “under the table” for $2 less than minimum wage.than minimum wage.

External Info: Your uncle, in your opinion, is a External Info: Your uncle, in your opinion, is a great guy that has many talents and has a great guy that has many talents and has a family of four; your dad works for him too.family of four; your dad works for him too.

Question: An IRS agent asks you to see the Question: An IRS agent asks you to see the tax records for the employees because you tax records for the employees because you are the accountant and you just started are the accountant and you just started working for your uncle last week. What do working for your uncle last week. What do you do?you do?

Scenario #1Scenario #1

You are a nurse (thank you Ojard) and You are a nurse (thank you Ojard) and a patient has come in with an acute a patient has come in with an acute case of inflamed appendix. The doctor case of inflamed appendix. The doctor says to the patient that he/she must says to the patient that he/she must have it removed. The doctor leaves have it removed. The doctor leaves and the patient tell you that he/she is and the patient tell you that he/she is leaving the hospital because he/she leaving the hospital because he/she does not want to do it. What do you does not want to do it. What do you say to the patient?say to the patient?

Have you seen/heard this Have you seen/heard this before?before?

““an individual who can be counted an individual who can be counted upon to do what we know we must upon to do what we know we must and ought to do, even when there and ought to do, even when there are no external forms of incentive or are no external forms of incentive or accountability in place”accountability in place”

ResourcesResources

-Ethics and the Military Profession, -Ethics and the Military Profession, Kantian Kantian Ethics and the Basis of Duty, Ethics and the Basis of Duty, Capt. Rick Rubel, Capt. Rick Rubel, 20052005

-Ethics and the Military Profession, -Ethics and the Military Profession, A Simplified A Simplified Account of Kant’s EthicsAccount of Kant’s Ethics, Onora O’Neill, 1986, Onora O’Neill, 1986

-Lawrence M. Hinmen, PhD-Lawrence M. Hinmen, PhD ((http://ethics.acusd.edu/theories/kanthttp://ethics.acusd.edu/theories/kant))-Ethics in Dialogue, Rose Mary Volbrecht, PhD-Ethics in Dialogue, Rose Mary Volbrecht, PhD-Immanuel Kant, Wikipedia.com-Immanuel Kant, Wikipedia.com--Rush Limbaugh, Talk Radio, 2006 (just kidding)Rush Limbaugh, Talk Radio, 2006 (just kidding)