Beyond Bumper Sticker Ethics: An Introduction to Theories of Right & Wrong by Steve Wilkens

Author:Steve Wilkens [Wilkens, Steve]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Non-Fiction, Philosophy, Religion, Christian
ISBN: 9780830839360
Publisher: IVP Academic
Published: 1995-11-07T00:00:00+00:00

Summary

Kant says that there are two ways of knowing because there are two general categories of things to be known. One category involves physical objects that are accessible to the senses. This category includes things about which we make "is" statements. An iron bar has a particular weight, shape and color, and we discover these characteristics by our senses. However, there is another side of reality that the senses cannot get to. This includes subjects like God, freedom and ethics. The senses can tell me that an iron bar has smashed the windows in a number of cars in a parking lot, but they can never tell me whether such an act is right or wrong. Right and wrong cannot be tested by hearing, sight, taste, touch or smell. Even so, Kant asserts that we can still make meaningful statements about morality. Instead of checking ethical claims by sense data, we test by internal consistency between the ideas. This is what the Categorical Imperative is all about. Does a maxim pass the test of logical consistency, or is it self-contradictory?

The abstract nature of Kant's ethical system is one of the reasons his ideas are somewhat difficult to grasp. But even though people often have little confidence in abstract arguments because they want something that is tangible, Kant's point here is worth considering. Right and wrong are not the kinds of things that can be seen or touched, so if we insist on using our senses to make ethical decisions, we can never even get to the most basic ethical question, "What should we do?" Abstract arguments may not be easy to comprehend, but this does not make them wrong or less certain. And if we look carefully at the components of Kant's ethics, it is obvious that the ideas are closely interwoven. Beginning from his concept of reason, logical connections can be made between a number of concepts central to ethics, such as human freedom, universal obligation, rules, the will and duty.

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