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Kant’s Categorical Imperative – Explanation

שו”תCategory: generalKant’s Categorical Imperative – Explanation
asked 8 years ago

peace,
I finished the fourth notebook on morality, where you wrote about Kant’s categorical imperative; which says that you should examine the act you want to do, and if everyone were to do it, it would be bad, so you should refrain from doing the act. And if it is good, then you should do it.
But this order could lead to absurdities –
For example, you want to be an accountant, would you want everyone to be an accountant? Obviously, you don’t need engineers, doctors, managers, etc., etc.
A sign that this is not a moral act.
 
This idea can even be about elementary things that are always done here and there and that you absolutely wouldn’t want everyone to do: picking your nose, sleeping until late in the morning, screening a friend, and more.
I guess I probably misunderstood his argument. I would appreciate it if you could explain 🙂


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מיכי Staff answered 8 years ago
Kant’s criterion is problematic in many ways. But solutions can be found to the questions you raised. For example, regarding the accountant, I would like everyone to do what they want (as long as it is not harmful), and what I want is to be an accountant.

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גיל replied 8 years ago

Thank you very much, indeed I feel that there is something problematic there but nevertheless there is something very true in Kant's command.

There is another thing that I don't quite understand in your words in the fourth notebook. Throughout the notebook you repeat that it is not possible to deduce a norm from factual claims, but we do feel that there is a general law in the matter. On page (97) you divide between descriptive claims and prescriptive claims. These claims are charged with a negative or positive charge. That is, with the help of my conscience I can observe the moral ideal and decide whether act x is good or bad.
But even if the moral ideal indeed says that it is bad to murder, this is a claim of fact. - It really says so there!
But how can I deduce a norm from it - and refrain from committing murder?!

מיכי Staff replied 8 years ago

I think I explained it there. The claim is that normative facts are different from physical facts. Physical facts are neutral (descriptive) and normative facts are charged (prescriptive). From a normative fact (described in a prescriptive sentence) a norm can be derived.

גיל replied 8 years ago

I accept the theoretical distinction, but how can such a reality of norm claims exist? Every reality is a fact and does not cause action. Maybe the rabbi has a parable for this?

I thought about the idea of a state law book, for example. But that too is not a norm claim, but a fact. It does indeed say there that it is forbidden to cross a red light. But that does not deter me from taking action.

מיכי Staff replied 8 years ago

I don't know what examples I can give. There are laws and there are moral principles. If you don't perceive them as charged facts, you won't be bound by them (to obey the law or morality). Therefore, you have two options: either deny what we all understand to be binding (charged) facts, or accept it. If you accept it, then you have examples of charged facts.

גיל replied 8 years ago

Sorry if I'm repeating myself with the question but that's not how I understood it

How can there be an existence for such a reality? A book of laws that the ruler issued is an example of this?
Z”a exists a writer – fact. And there is a writer (the ruler) who claimed the fact to be an action?

מיכי Staff replied 8 years ago

The existence of the book is a fact, but it is not what I am talking about. This book reflects a legislative act, and that is the relevant fact. A legislative act is not a neutral fact but a charged fact, and it is binding. By the very fact that an authorized entity enacts a law, it binds the recipients.

גיל replied 8 years ago

Thank you, but it is still not clear to me how the legislative body has the power to expropriate from factual speech (it was said in his words, "Do not murder") to a normative command (I was told not to commit an act of murder)?

מיכי Staff replied 8 years ago

I didn't understand the question. Nothing is expropriated from anything. Speech in itself is a neutral fact. But speech/command of an authorized legislator is a normative fact. It is not expropriated from the category of fact, but it is a different kind of fact. And the evidence is that people understand that it obligates them (just as they understand that an ordinary fact is neutral).

גיל replied 8 years ago

Okay, thanks, I think I understand. Your words just raised another question for me, so is there a supreme being who told us the moral laws? Why should we listen to it and see its words as binding?

מיכי Staff replied 8 years ago

Because she is the authorized authority. If you do not see her as such, do not listen to her. The proof in the fourth notebook is “theological”. See the explanation there.

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