Final answer:
The basis of Kant's categorical imperative is 3)rational consistency.
Step-by-step explanation:
According to Immanuel Kant, the basis of the categorical imperative is 3) rational consistency.
Kant's ethical framework posits that our actions should be governed by universal maxims that could be applied consistently across all situations. As rational beings, we should act according to principles that we would wish everyone to follow as if they were universal laws. The categorical imperative stands in contrast to hypothetical imperatives, which are goal-oriented and conditional upon individual desires. Kant's moral philosophy is deeply rooted in the notion that moral imperatives are derived from reason and not dictated by divine command, psychological tendencies, or solely the need for an orderly society.
Kant's deontological ethics centers on duty and the good will that arises when actions are performed from duty. The notion of duty is linked to the concept of the categorical imperative, which commands actions that are necessary in and of themselves without reference to any other end. Kant distinguished between perfect duties, which are always to be followed, and imperfect duties, which allow for some discretion on the part of the moral agent.