Philosophy Exam 3 (In order of notes)
Kant's Epistemology/Metaphysics/Psychology: Background - correct
answer-Reliability: Experience-based, immediate experience, synthetic a
posteriori.
Certainty: Mind, independent of experience, realm of ideas, analytic a priori.
Kant says synthetic a priori is necessary and universal. "What if the only way
we make sense of sense data is b/c the mind composes a rational structure
on it?"
Critique of Pure Reason (1788) - correct answer-"Concepts w/o percepts are
empty. Percepts w/o concepts are blind." - They are entangled and are parts
of each other. See them intimately and mutual.
Perceptions&Conceptions
Imagination = the synthesis of the two ^
Kant's Thinking Cap - correct answer-- Were born with the concepts of space
and time
How we make sense of reality:
1. Quantity: unity, plurality, totality
2. Quality, reality, negation, limitation
3. Relation: substance, causality, interaction
4. Modality: possibility, existence, necessity
- Kant thinks we don't understand or don't dare to understand the relationship
between concepts and percepts
-Kant is an absolutist and a moral realist.
Moral, Procedural, and Substantiative Realism - correct answer-Procedural:
"how," there are correct procedures for arriving at answers to moral questions
Substantiative: "what," there are moral truths/facts that exist independently of
those procedures
Korsgaard's View - correct answer-"Good maxims are intristically normative
entities." because reason is intristically normative.
- B/c we are in possession of reason, we -do- it (procedural); reason itself is its
own proof of its normativity.
- Hypothetically, Korsgaard says "Kant is right after all."
, Deontological Ethics (O'Neill) - correct answer-1. Akratic Actions: acting in
ways counter to your best judgement (O'Neill)
2. Heteronomous Ethics: moral acceptability as contingent (consequence,
character)
3. Autonomous Ethics: moral acceptability as non-contingent (Kant)
O'Neill on Kant: he has "an uncompromisingly rationalist foundation for
ethics." One that maintains "a serious respect for the diversity of content of
ethical practices and traditions." She finds that Kant makes conclusions
without reference to our desires.
O'Neill on Kant, ctnd. - correct answer-- "The Categorical Imperative provides
a way of testing the moral acceptability of what we propose to do. It does not
aim to generate plans of action for those who have none."
- The CI can most plausibly be construed as a test of moral worth rather than
of outward rightness.
- Kant's universality test construes moral worth as contingent, on the
universalizability of an agent's fundamental or underlying intention or principle.
Imperative (def.)
Deontology, ctnd., 2nd handout - correct answer-A formulation of a command
to act in accordance with law; a claim about what one ought to do.
1. Hypothetical Imperative: command to do X dependent on wanting goal Y;
an action that is necessary as a means to the attainment of something
someone wants.
2. Categorical Imperative: command to do X period, without reference to a
further goal; an action that is objectively necessary, or necessary independent
of ends/goals.
Moral laws/rules are obeyed for they're own sake, they're categorical.
More on The Categorical Imperative (The Formula of Universal Law)
Third Handout - correct answer-"Act only on that maxim which you can at the
same time will that it should become a universal law."
- The test is not whether one would want one's maxim to be a universal law,
but whether it would be consistent to will it to be so.
Kant's Epistemology/Metaphysics/Psychology: Background - correct
answer-Reliability: Experience-based, immediate experience, synthetic a
posteriori.
Certainty: Mind, independent of experience, realm of ideas, analytic a priori.
Kant says synthetic a priori is necessary and universal. "What if the only way
we make sense of sense data is b/c the mind composes a rational structure
on it?"
Critique of Pure Reason (1788) - correct answer-"Concepts w/o percepts are
empty. Percepts w/o concepts are blind." - They are entangled and are parts
of each other. See them intimately and mutual.
Perceptions&Conceptions
Imagination = the synthesis of the two ^
Kant's Thinking Cap - correct answer-- Were born with the concepts of space
and time
How we make sense of reality:
1. Quantity: unity, plurality, totality
2. Quality, reality, negation, limitation
3. Relation: substance, causality, interaction
4. Modality: possibility, existence, necessity
- Kant thinks we don't understand or don't dare to understand the relationship
between concepts and percepts
-Kant is an absolutist and a moral realist.
Moral, Procedural, and Substantiative Realism - correct answer-Procedural:
"how," there are correct procedures for arriving at answers to moral questions
Substantiative: "what," there are moral truths/facts that exist independently of
those procedures
Korsgaard's View - correct answer-"Good maxims are intristically normative
entities." because reason is intristically normative.
- B/c we are in possession of reason, we -do- it (procedural); reason itself is its
own proof of its normativity.
- Hypothetically, Korsgaard says "Kant is right after all."
, Deontological Ethics (O'Neill) - correct answer-1. Akratic Actions: acting in
ways counter to your best judgement (O'Neill)
2. Heteronomous Ethics: moral acceptability as contingent (consequence,
character)
3. Autonomous Ethics: moral acceptability as non-contingent (Kant)
O'Neill on Kant: he has "an uncompromisingly rationalist foundation for
ethics." One that maintains "a serious respect for the diversity of content of
ethical practices and traditions." She finds that Kant makes conclusions
without reference to our desires.
O'Neill on Kant, ctnd. - correct answer-- "The Categorical Imperative provides
a way of testing the moral acceptability of what we propose to do. It does not
aim to generate plans of action for those who have none."
- The CI can most plausibly be construed as a test of moral worth rather than
of outward rightness.
- Kant's universality test construes moral worth as contingent, on the
universalizability of an agent's fundamental or underlying intention or principle.
Imperative (def.)
Deontology, ctnd., 2nd handout - correct answer-A formulation of a command
to act in accordance with law; a claim about what one ought to do.
1. Hypothetical Imperative: command to do X dependent on wanting goal Y;
an action that is necessary as a means to the attainment of something
someone wants.
2. Categorical Imperative: command to do X period, without reference to a
further goal; an action that is objectively necessary, or necessary independent
of ends/goals.
Moral laws/rules are obeyed for they're own sake, they're categorical.
More on The Categorical Imperative (The Formula of Universal Law)
Third Handout - correct answer-"Act only on that maxim which you can at the
same time will that it should become a universal law."
- The test is not whether one would want one's maxim to be a universal law,
but whether it would be consistent to will it to be so.
