2/21/2015Deontology Kantian DutyBased Ethics Seven Pillars Institute Seven Pillars Institute Seven Pillars Institute Home About Us Board Staff Contact Us Services Educational Institutions Financial Institutions Government Mission Quest The Purpose of Finance The Value of Financial Ethics, Part I 35 The Value of Financial Ethics, Part II Goals Like Scope Dictionary 1 Moral Terms Financial Terms Tweet Journal Index to Journal Articles 4 Author Guidelines Article Submissions Interviews Case Studies Income Inequality Series Insider Trading Cases Taxation Cases India Series The Fall of Anglo Irish Bank Hong Kong: Economic Freedom Belies Crony Capitalism An Ethical Analysis of the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil The Effectiveness and Ethics of Economic Sanctions The Vatican Bank: Conforming to Caritas in Veritate? 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Moral Theories Kantian Duty Based (Deontological) Ethics Kant and Moral Feeling Applying Utilitarianism: Are Insider Trading and the Bailout of GM Ethical? Abenomics: A Utilitarian Analysis Justice and the 2008 Financial Crisis Applying Virtue Ethics: The Rajat Gupta Case Applying Confucian virtues in finance Current Topics A Critique of Rational Choice Theory Problems of Moral Philosophy Topics in Moral Philosophy Videos Seven Pillars Institute’s Financial Ethics Training Video Series: Ethics in Finance is Good! Episode 1: Financial Ethics.org/morality101/kantiandutybaseddeontologicalethics 2/8 . Ethics. David Einhorn: A Case of Regulatory Overreach? Nationalization: Argentina vs.2/21/2015 Deontology Kantian DutyBased Ethics Seven Pillars Institute Seven Pillars Institute Quantitative Easing and Income Inequality Bank of America’s Takeover of Merrill Lynch Private Equity Funds: Christian Ethics and Leveraged Buyout Funding The FSA vs. the Performance Enhancer Episode 2: Does Financial Ethics Make Sense? Episode 3: Issue Spotting and Problem Solving Episode 4: Ethical Theories Recent Posts http://sevenpillarsinstitute. the YPF Repsol Case Jon Corzine and MF Global Dimon and the Whale Taiwan’s Asset Management Corporations The Dearth of Ethics and the Death of Lehman Brothers Financing. Spain. 2015 By: Winky T.. 2015 The first in SPI’s series on Inequality By: May Leung Difference in income plays a role One important ... Read More Moral Cents The Journal of Ethics in Finance Videos Click here to watch our videos. Muddy Waters (MW) earned its reputation . Yang As a short selling research firm.2/21/2015 Deontology Kantian DutyBased Ethics Seven Pillars Institute Seven Pillars Institute The Causes of Economic Inequality January 21st.org/morality101/kantiandutybaseddeontologicalethics 3/8 . Search Financial Ethics Archives 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010 http://sevenpillarsinstitute.. Read More Profit and Ethics in Short Selling: The Case of Muddy Waters January 6th. Unlike religious deontological theories. because it is considered the absolute good. To better understand deontology. Thus. Consequentialism tells us we need to take into account the final consequence of our action. In religious deontology. deontological theories and duties have existed for many centuries. the theory’s celebrated proponent. the best consequence is happiness/pleasure. meaning duty. or cheat. the rules (or maxims) in Kant’s deontological theory derive from human reason. we are morally obligated not to steal. According the theory of utility. including mathematics.org/morality101/kantiandutybaseddeontologicalethics 4/8 . He only stopped working at the university three years before his death.2/21/2015 Deontology Kantian DutyBased Ethics Seven Pillars Institute Seven Pillars Institute Join us on Facebook and stay updated Subscribe to our RSS feed or enter your email below to get news in your inbox Receive new articles in your inbox by submitting your email address below: * Subscribe! Kantian Duty Based (Deontological) Ethics Introduction The term deontology comes from the Greek word deon. such as utilitarianism. He essentially spent his whole adult life at the university and never truly travelled outside of the city. even if the act itself is not morally good. He was a philosopher and scientist specializing in many areas. which says we have an obligation to take the course of action that achieves the most positive outcome or consequence. http://sevenpillarsinstitute. lie. Immanuel Kant. Immanuel Kant Immanuel Kant was born in 1724 in the Prussian city of Königsberg. the principles derive from divine commandment so that under religious laws. compare it to some opposing theories. The theory of deontology states we are morally obligated to act in accordance with a certain set of principles and rules regardless of outcome. formulated the most influential form of a secular deontological moral theory in 1788. and it is exactly this ability that requires human beings to act in accordance with and for the sake of moral law or duty. geography and anthropology. Categorical Imperatives There are three formulations of Kant’s categorical imperative. The most notable difference is utilitarianism aims at a goal of greatest happiness (or the best consequence) and justifies any act that achieves that goal. Maxim: rule or principle Will: the faculty of deciding. In terms of ethics. difficulttoread but highly influential texts regarding metaphysics. even if the act leads to an admirable outcome. The First Formulation of the Imperative http://sevenpillarsinstitute. emotions and consequences should play no role in moral action; therefore. Actions in deontology are always judged independently of their outcome. Good will is exercised by acting according to moral duty/law. or acting Deontological theories differ from utilitarian theories in several key ways. metaethics and practical morality. the motivation behind an action must be based on obligation and well thought out before the action takes place. science. which are categorical in nature – we are bound by duty to act in accordance with categorical imperatives. the most significant of his works are Groundwork in the Metaphysics of Morals (1785). and Metaphysics of Morals (1798). but they have remained prominently influential to this day. An act can be morally bad but may unintentionally lead to a favorable outcome. As with many scholars of his time. Moral law consists of a set of maxims. history and politics. Critique of Practical Reason (1788). the moral worth of an action is determined by the human will. Kant’s new ideas and published works about the nature of reality and free will were widely condemned. According to Kant. Kant believes human inclinations. These texts constitute the foundation of Kant’s own moral philosophy.org/morality101/kantiandutybaseddeontologicalethics 5/8 . choosing.2/21/2015 Deontology Kantian DutyBased Ethics Seven Pillars Institute Seven Pillars Institute astrophysics. Kant’s moral theory is based on his view of the human being as having the unique capacity for rationality. A Theory of Duty Some terminology to consider: Moral agent: An agent is a person who performs an action; a moral agent is a person with the capacity to act morally. He wrote several dense. Deontological theories hold that some acts are always wrong. Kant is responsible for the most prominent and wellknown form of deontological ethics. Morality should. He was the first recorded scholar to suggest that some of the faint nebulae visible with a telescope are actually separate universes in the sky. in theory. No other animal possesses such a propensity for reasoned thought and action. which is the only thing in the world that can be considered good without qualification. provide people with a framework of rational rules that guide and prevent certain actions and are independent of personal intentions and desires. ” Kant’s first categorical imperative sounds like a paraphrase of the Golden Rule. it is a hypothetical imperative in the sense that it can be formulated. Second.) For an end to be objective. The first formulation of the categorical imperative appears similar to the Golden Rule: “Do not impose on others what you do not wish for yourself. it would need to be pursued categorically. for they have gone beyond basic duty and taken responsibility upon themselves. they are not as strong as perfect duties but are still morally binding. The Third Formulation of the Imperative http://sevenpillarsinstitute. which are still based on pure reason but allow for interpretation regarding how they are performed. but they receive praise if they complete it. For example. Because the autonomous will is the one and only source of moral action.” – Immanuel Kant. meaning that one can not reasonably exist in a constant state of performing that duty. According to Kant. In Kantian ethics. It tells us how to act to achieve a specific goal e. Groundwork of Metaphysic of Morals This imperative states that every rational action must be considered not only a principle. Because these duties depend loosely on the subjective preferences of mankind. we first have a perfect duty not to act by maxims that result in logical contradictions. (A hypothetical imperative is a demand of reason that is conditional. The free will is the source of all rational action. A person has a perfect duty not to use themselves or others merely as a means to some other end. including the identity of the person making the decision. Most ends are subjective in nature because they need only be pursued if they are in line with a hypothetical imperative. if you don’t want others to hit you. Imperfect duties are circumstantial.org/morality101/kantiandutybaseddeontologicalethics 6/8 . However. What differentiates perfect and imperfect duties is that imperfect duties are never truly completed.2/21/2015 Deontology Kantian DutyBased Ethics Seven Pillars Institute Seven Pillars Institute “Act only according to that maxim whereby you can at the same time will that it should become a universal law without contradiction. the Golden Rule is neither purely formal nor universally binding. A moral maxim must be disconnected from the particular physical details surrounding its proposition and should be applicable to any rational being. Groundwork of Metaphysic of Morals Kant states that a true moral proposition must not be tied to any particular conditions. The Second Formulation of the Imperative “Act in such a way that you treat humanity. then don’t hit them. whether in your own person or in the person of any other. a person must maintain her moral duty to seek an end that is equal for all people. Kant derives the second formulation from the first. this reasoning violates the categorical imperative because it denies the basis for free rational action and disregards the person as an end in themselves. we have imperfect duties. I must drink when I need to slake my thirst.g. However. it contradicts the first formulation of the categorical imperative to claim that a person is merely a means to some other end instead of an end in him or herself. people do not attract blame if they do not complete an imperfect duty. but also an end. Under the second formulation of the categorical imperative. It is empirical in the sense that applying it requires context; for example. Based on this. and its “ifthen” relationship is open for dispute.” – Immanuel Kant. one cannot treat another person as a means to an end. never merely as a means to an end but always at the same time as an end. Also. someone who owns slaves would be asserting a moral right to own a slave by asserting their rights over another person. Unlike perfect duties. People ought to act only by maxims that harmonize with a possible kingdom of ends. The flowers are very pretty.2/21/2015 Deontology Kantian DutyBased Ethics Seven Pillars Institute Seven Pillars Institute “Therefore. To fail to do this would be to treat others in a way that contradicts the moral law. If I ask to have his book. Let’s take. I am respecting his right to say no and am thereby treating him as an end in himself. who fired the psychotic. Using the formula of the universal law (categorical imperative). the act of picking flowers from the local park.org/morality101/kantiandutybaseddeontologicalethics 7/8 . a higher moral duty trumps the duty not to lie. there would be no flowers left in the park.” This is a personal perspective on the same moral theory. if I steal a book from a friend. The better option is to go to a shop and order or plant one’s own flowers. every rational being must so act as if he were through his maxim always a legislating member in the universal kingdom of ends. I am treating him as a means only (to obtain a book). If I only ask for the book in order to appear nice and hope that my friend is likely to do more things for me in the future. Groundwork of Metaphysic of Morals A truly autonomous will is not subjugated to any interest; it is subject to those laws it makes for itself. is a higher moral duty that we should follow. then I am still treating him as a means only. There are a few acts that are always forbidden. the obligation not to kill or help others in killing. The most important of these is the formula of humanity: “Act in such a way that you treat humanity. That is. For example. An example of this would be a factory owner providing unsafe working conditions. Criticisms One of the biggest criticisms of Kantian ethics is that it discounts outcome as a valid factor in evaluating the http://sevenpillarsinstitute. If the laws are not universal. If you lie about the whereabouts of your colleague. Essentially. Kant suggests that people treat themselves and others always as ends and never merely as means. whether in your own person or in the person of another. which negatively affects trust between people and the meaning of truth. this requires adopting a maxim that supports doing whatever one wants to do. We have a perfect duty not to act by maxims that create incoherent or impossible states of natural affairs when we attempt to universalize them. Bus/taxidrivers get us where we want to go; factory workers are the means to producing objects and ultimately profit for their employer. not as a means to an end. If everyone were to do this. and we have an imperfect duty not to act by maxims that lead to unstable or greatly undesirable states of affairs for all parties involved. and one may want to take some home. such as lying. But using people only to get what we want and consistently disrespecting their human worth is against moral law. for example. It is true that everyone uses people as a means to an end. such as Foxconn in China or factories in countries that impose inhumane working conditions and pay less than minimum wage. always at the same time as an end and never simply as a means. However. Imagine a psychotic criminal wants to kill your colleague. and the act contradicts the original motive for picking the flowers. they are not laws of conduct at all.” – Immanuel Kant. then an innocent life will be saved. Alternative Formulation of Categorical Imperative Kant expressed the categorical imperative in a few different ways. there are a few irrationalities and contradictions that arise from the adoption of such a maxim as law. It seems moral duty forbids you from lying. Using reasoned judgment we can apply this formula to any maxim and discover whether it is morally permissible under deontological ethics. This rule remains the case even when lying has advantageous or even morally admirable consequences. but the will must also regard those laws as if others are bound by the laws. By: Ali Shakil Source 1. “First Section: Transition from the Common Rational Knowledge of Morals to the Philosophical”.2/21/2015 Deontology Kantian DutyBased Ethics Seven Pillars Institute Seven Pillars Institute morality of an action. Immanuel. Based on Kant’s formula of humanity. Kant. Groundwork of the Metaphysic of Morals.org/morality101/kantiandutybaseddeontologicalethics 8/8 . meaning one cannot enslave a few people even if it would enable more people to lead better lives. While it is not necessarily wise to rely solely on outcome (as in utilitarianism/consequentialism). If we obey the moral law rather than our intuitions. Deontological ethics is weaker when it comes to informing us how to live well or developing virtues of character. At times Kantian moral duty seems to contradict our natural inclinations and common sense. Like 35 Tweet 1 4 Share StumbleUpon Share and Enjoy Home About Us Services Mission Dictionary Journal Case Studies Ethics 101 Videos Login http://sevenpillarsinstitute. we are acting morally. it is not a good idea to completely ignore the outcome altogether. Killing one person to save the lives of millions is impermissible in Kantian ethics. 1785. human life is sacred and inviolable.