By Dr Lewis and Professor Blake



For Kant, acting purely from emotion or
outcome was not a sufficient on its own to deem
an action a good one.
For him, morality was a priori.
He believed in two worlds:
• Phenomenal realm- Inhabited by Animals; driven by instincts,
lust and desires. Behave in accordance to the empirical realm
of cause and effect.
• Noumenal realm- Inhabited by God and Angels; driven by
reason.
• Humans exist in both realms, aware of both reason and
instinct


The chaotic sensations of the outer world are
ordered by out mind by categories of thought.
An example if Reason which is subdivided:
• Pure Reason- What is the case
• Practical Reason- What ought to be done

In order for human beings to have a moral
experience, practical reason must issue
imperatives to the will. This is how moral
judgment is made.




Good Will, or intention, is the valuable thing
in itself, regardless of the consequences.
Good intention and respect for moral law
makes an action morally good.
Duty- Something which you work out
through reason and consequently it’s
something that applies universally. The action
is good to do because it is good to do.
Good Will + Duty= A good moral action
Hypothetical Imperative- Deciding to do an
action based on what its outcome will be.
 Categorical imperative- Doing an action because
your absolute and universal sense of moral duty
says ‘you should do this’.
 There are 3 formulations of the categorical
imperative:

• We must act on what we feel everyone should also do
• You must never use someone as a means as their abilities as a
rational being makes them too valuable to deisrespect.
• Act as if you are a citizen in a country of autonomous
individuals. Everyone should have the right to be self
governing.




Natural Law- Everyone has a natural sense
that ‘good is to be done and evil avoided’
Natural Laws are universal and
unchangeable.
By using God-given reason to follow the right
course of action a human is putting
themselves in touch with natural law.
Natural law is understood by reflecting on
human nature and rationally working out
what leads to happiness.


We have a need to understand the principles
of natural law so that the more we
understand ourselves the more we
understand God’s purpose and how we
should behave.
This ensures that we seek the good and turn
from evil- Synderesis.



Aristotle categorised different species
according to their nature. One’s nature
determines the type of creature one
becomes.
The distinctive feature of human nature is the
ability to be rational.
So by following reason, as opposed to
desires, humanity will be able to fulfill their
natural, intended end purpose





Aquinas developed Aristotle's ideas but
essentially added God.
Essentialist Foundation; Essence prior to
existence. The imago dei (ideal plan for humans)
exist within the divine mind before creation.
Good is fulfilling ones essence
You fulfil your essence by living a life according
to God’s plan
Sin is ‘falling short’ of the essence through
misuse of free will.






To Live
To Learn
To Reproduce
To live in an ordered society
To worship God.
If you follow these and use these to make
decisions you will fulfil your essence