Universability

-to start, we should define 2 moral theories

-substantive moral theory – identifies the particular duties in a straight forward manner that the
adherents of the theory must follow

-formal moral theory – does not give a list of rules or commands

-but gives a set of instructions on how to make a list of duties and moral
commands.

-categorical imperative – embodies formal moral theory

-endorsed by Immanuel kant in his work Groundwork of the Metaphysic of

Morals, 1785

-provides a procedural way of identifying the rightness or wrongness of an

action.

Categorical Imperative:

“Act only according to such a maxim, by which you can at once will that it becomes a universal law.”

Four Key elements of categorical imperative:

-Action

-Maxim

-Will

If -Universal law

First, we must formulate an action as a maxim

Maxim-subjective principle of action

-a “rule” that we live by in our day to day lives

“standard operating procedures” in our lives

Universal Law

 Maxim must be “universalizable”

 Hypothetically, everyone is obliged to comply to the maxim

The maxim can either make sense or not as a universal law

 By making sense,we refer to the logical plausibility of the universalized maxim

 On the other hand, self-contradiction or logical impossibility
 -lagay ka example tungkol dito-

Two ways to reject maxims according to Kant

 If the universalized maxim is contradictory;

 Or the act and its purpose become impossible

-example ulet kahit similar lang sa nauna-

Rational permissibility – refers to the intrinsic quality of an action that is objectively and necessarily
rational.

Actions that are rationally permissible cannot be rejected as universalizable maxims

Universalized maxims that are rejected are shown to be impermissible

Impermissible=irrational=immoral (according to kant)

 Universalizability test – can reveal the objectively necessity of an action as rational.

-example tungkol dyan-

Therefore, categorical imperative is similar to a measuring instrument that tells us whether an action is
morally permissible or not.

This implies that we have the capacity to make our own list of moral commands and we use our own
rational faculty to produce our own list of moral duties.

To sum up

 Categorical imperative is precisely for the rational will that is autonomous

 Autonomy= self-legislating will
 Universalizability test- capacity to distinguish between permissible and impermissible moral acts
 After that, rational will can then begin the work of producing a list of duties.

 Deontology leads to enlightenment morality

 Opposite of paternalism