Editing Kantian Deontology (section)

== <span style="color: #FFFFFF;">Understanding</span> ==
Kantian ethics is understood through '''Universality''' and '''Respect'''.

'''1. The First Formulation (The Universal Law)''':
Kant says: "Act only according to that maxim whereby you can, at the same time, will that it should become a universal law."
* Ask yourself: "What if *everyone* did this?"
* If you lie to get out of trouble, and *everyone* lied to get out of trouble, the concept of "Telling the Truth" would disappear. Therefore, lying is irrational and morally wrong.

'''2. The Second Formulation (The Kingdom of Ends)''':
Kant says: "Act in such a way that you treat humanity... always as an end and never merely as a means."
* You cannot "Use" people to get what you want, even if it helps the "Greater Good."
* This is why a Kantian would NEVER pull the lever in the Trolley Problem. To kill the one person is to "Use" them as a tool to save the others. Each life is an absolute value that cannot be traded.

'''3. Motive Matters''':
For Kant, an action is only truly "Moral" if you do it because it is your '''Duty'''.
* If you help a person because you "Feel bad" for them, you aren't being moral; you're just following your emotions.
* If you help them because "It is the right thing to do," even if you hate doing it, that is the highest form of morality.

'''Categorical vs. Hypothetical''': A "Hypothetical Imperative" is a rule like "If you want to be healthy, exercise." A "Categorical Imperative" is a rule like "Do not steal," which applies even if you don't care about the result.
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