I have to understand it for a debate in class about the death penalty, but I can’t wrap my head around it just right
In: 6
The easiest way to understand Kant’s categorical imperative is that any rule one person follows should be able to be applied to everyone else under any circumstance.
If a rule can’t be applied to every person under every circumstance, then it’s not a good rule.
So, for instance, Kant argues that a rule which fits these requirements is “you should not lie”. Because it applies to any person and any situation (according to Kant at least), it’s valid as a moral law. If one could imagine a situation where lying were good (Kant can’t), then it wouldn’t be valid.
This is an oversimplification of course, but that’s the jist of it.
Latest Answers