Question

Kant wants to develop moral philosophy so as to avoid a. discussing the objectivity of moral principles, as this is really relativism in disguise. b. discussion of virtues and duties, as outcomes are all that matter. c. rational analysis, because moral decision-making should always be about instinct. d. relativism.

Answer 1

Kant's moral philosophy aimed to avoid relativism by proposing that rational beings can discover universal and objective moral laws through reason, aligning with deontological ethics that prioritize duty and good will over outcomes.

Step-by-step explanation:

Immanuel Kant wanted to develop moral philosophy to avoid d. relativism. He was concerned with finding a rational and universal basis for ethics. Kant's doctrine, famously known as deontology, emphasizes the role of duty and good will as the foundation of moral actions over the consequences of those actions. This is in stark contrast to consequentialist theories, such as utilitarianism, which focus on outcomes.

Kant argued that morality should be derived from categorical imperatives, which are principles that any rational being would acknowledge as universal laws. These imperatives contrast with hypothetical imperatives, which only aim at specific outcomes. Kant believed that moral maxims should be applicable universally and should not depend on individual or cultural perspectives, thereby rejecting moral relativism, which suggests that what is moral depends on the societal or individual context.

In essence, Kant's ethical theory presents a third alternative to moral absolutism and cultural relativism, suggesting that rational beings can use reason to discover a priori moral principles that are binding and objective, distancing his philosophy from relativism's subjectivity.

Answer 2

The correct answer is options (A)

Kant wants to develop moral philosophy so as to avoid

(a) discussing the objectivity of moral principles, as this is really relativism in disguise

Step-by-step explanation:

According to the German philosopher, Immanuel Kant, the rightness or wrongness of actions does not depend on their consequences but on whether they fulfill our duty. With this, he avoided the objectives of moral principles, and assumed that morals principles are relative in consequence. Kant believed that there was a supreme principle of morality, which he referred to it as "The ​Categorical Imperative​"