Kantians
Categorical imperative followers
Kantians are followers of the 18th-century German philosopher Immanuel Kant, or adherents to his moral and philosophical theories.
In ethics, Kantians emphasize duty, universal moral principles, and treating people as ends rather than means: Kantians argue that lying is always wrong, regardless of consequences.
The term often contrasts with utilitarians, who focus on outcomes rather than principles.
Morality based on obligations
- categorical imperativeUnconditional ethical obligation
- a prioriIndependent of experience
- noumenaReality independent of observation
- phenomenaObservable facts or events
synthetic a priori · autonomy · duty · moral law · maxims · practical reason · pure reason · antinomies
Required moral task
- obligationRequired task or commitment
- categorical imperativeUnconditional ethical obligation
- deontologyMorality based on obligations
- moral lawCode of right conduct
ends in themselves · good will · autonomy · rights · justice · dignity · principles · prohibitions
Independent decision-making capacity
- reasonBasis or justification
- progressMovement toward improvement
- humanismPhilosophy prioritizing earthly reason
- secularismSeparation of faith, state
rationalism · liberty · freedom · critical thinking · education · knowledge · reform · equality
deontology
Morality based on obligations
- categorical imperativeUnconditional ethical obligation
- a prioriIndependent of experience
- noumenaReality independent of observation
phenomena · synthetic a priori · autonomy · duty · moral law · maxims · practical reason · pure reason · antinomies · thing-in-itself
duty
Required moral task
- obligationRequired task or commitment
- categorical imperativeUnconditional ethical obligation
- deontologyMorality based on obligations
moral law · ends in themselves · good will · autonomy · rights · justice · dignity · principles · prohibitions · imperatives
autonomy
Independent decision-making capacity
- reasonBasis or justification
- progressMovement toward improvement
- humanismPhilosophy prioritizing earthly reason
secularism · rationalism · liberty · freedom · critical thinking · education · knowledge · reform · equality · tolerance
Kantiansconsequentialists
Ethics judges by results
utilitarians · hedonists · pragmatists · egoists · Epicureans
Kantiansempiricists
Philosophers favoring sensory knowledge
naturalists · existentialists · pragmatists · materialists · phenomenologists