Introduction
Immanuel Kant’s ethical theory of the Categorical Imperative is a deontological moral system. Kant proposed that human beings should judge the morality of their actions based on a universal law that must be followed in all circumstances, regardless of the outcome. Kant’s Categorical Imperative is based upon two primary principles: that we should treat every potential moral agent as an end in itself, and that we should act according to universal laws, not just on behalf of ourselves or our own interests. Kant refers to these two principles as the Formula of Universal Law and the Formula of Humanity Respect, respectively.
Formula of Universal Law
The Formula of Universal Law states that one must act in accordance with a principle that could be a universally applied law. This means that for a particular action to be morally permissible, one must judge that the same action would be permissible from any “reasonable” moral agent in any similar situation. According to Kant, one must “act as if the maxim of one’s action were to become through one’s will a universal law of nature”. Kant believed that humans should judge the morality of actions through the application of this “universal law”.
The Formula of Universal Law is Kant’s expression of the Golden Rule, which states that we should treat others as we would want to be treated. According to Kant, this means that we must consider the effect our action would have on any reasonable person in a similar position. This can be especially important in moral dilemmas, where one has to decide between two moral imperatives that appear to be in direct conflict.
Formula of Humanity Respect
Kant’s second principle of morality, the Formula of Humanity Respect, states that human beings should treat each other as ends in themselves, not merely as means to an end. This means that one must pass judgement on their actions and consider the implications that a given action would have on others before deciding on a course of action. Kant believed that one should never use others as a mere instrument towards achieving their desired end.
Conclusion
Kant’s Categorical Imperative is a moral system that provides a guide for moral reasoning and judgement. The two primary principles of Kant’s system, the Formula of Universal Law and the Formula of Humanity Respect, state that all persons are worthy of respect and that one must consider the implications of their actions on other persons before deciding on a course of action. Kant’s system is an important contributor to ethical theory and provides a foundation on which to judge moral decisions.