Kantian Ethics

Can anyone simplest the categorical imperative in its simplest possible form, as I just cant get my head around it

Categorical rules are not qualified by an 'if' statement, they apply universally. E.g. "you shouldn't torture animals for fun" is a rule that applies to everyone. Kant believes these are central to morality as they can be unconditional and absolute. The validity of the imperative does not depend on any ulterior motive or purpose for the agent. Does that help at all?

Reply 2

Joe312

Hypothetical imperatives are basically the kind of morality that Hume proposed - that you should do something "if" it serves your interests/desires.

Kant was not happy with this view of morality - he didn't think genuine objective morality that applies to everyone can be dependent on subjective individual personal desires.

So, he insisted that true moral imperatives had to be categorical - meaning applying in all cases regardless of personal desires/goals.

Ultimately Kant said there was only one categorical imperative - to only act on that maxim by which you can at the same time will become a universal law (or put oversimplistically - to only do something if it's logically possible for everyone to do it).

That's the first formulation of the categorical imperative - there are then two further ones; treating others as ends and the kingdom of ends.