14. The Trolley Problem: Kant’s Deontology, Duty, and Moral Choice

Transcript

PROFESSOR: So there's two things that we need to do in today's lecture. The first is to finish up our discussion of deontology, which was necessarily quite rushed. We're trying to do Kant in roughly a lecture. But I do want to get to the end of that discussion. And the second, which will allow you to use your clickers and express your opinions, is ... Read More

Key Insights

• ❤️‍🩹 Kant's moral theory emphasizes the importance of acting from duty and treating humanity as an end rather than merely as a means.
• ❓ The concept of maxims and their role in determining the moral worth of an action is essential in Kant's philosophy.
• 🚎 The trolley problem illustrates the challenge of making moral decisions that involve choosing between different actions with varying consequences.
• 💌 Intuitions about killing and letting die in different scenarios can be complex and may not always align with Kant's moral principles.

Questions & Answers

Q: What is the Trolley Problem?

The Trolley Problem is a moral dilemma involving a choice between killing one person and saving five. The lecture uses Judy Thomson’s trolley problem paper to examine the structure of that choice and the difficulty of judging actions with different consequences.

Q: What determines the moral worth of an action according to Kant?

An action has moral worth when it is done from duty. Merely acting in keeping with duty is necessary but not sufficient; the person must act that way for the sake of conforming to duty.

Q: What are Kant’s three claims about duty and moral worth?

First, an action must be done from duty to possess moral worth. Second, its worth lies in the maxim guiding it rather than the purpose it achieves. Third, duty is the necessity of acting out of respect for the law.

Q: What is the difference between acting from duty and acting in keeping with duty?

Acting in keeping with duty means doing what morality demands. Acting from duty additionally means doing it because conformity with duty is itself the reason for acting.

Q: What is a maxim in Kant’s moral theory?

A maxim is the description under which an action is performed. Kant’s account evaluates that description using a moral test rather than determining morality solely from the action’s intended goal or outcome.

Q: How does Kant define duty?

Kant defines duty as “the necessity of an action done out of respect for the law.” A person acts from duty because they recognize the moral law as binding and as something rationality demands.

Q: What is Kant’s categorical imperative?

The categorical imperative requires the will’s universal conformity of its actions to law. The page’s existing explanation states that a person should act only according to a maxim they can also will to become a universal law.

Q: What is the difference between autonomy and heteronomy in Kant’s ethics?

Autonomy means acting according to a law that you impose on yourself as a rational being. Heteronomy means being governed by a law that comes from outside you, including the contingent forces of the surrounding world.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• The lecture begins with a discussion of Kant's deontology and his three claims about moral worth.

• The concept of duty and the distinction between doing something in keeping with duty and doing something from duty are explained.

• Kant's famous formulation of the categorical imperative is introduced, which emphasizes acting in accordance with maxims that can become universal laws.