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How Are the Different Formulas of the Categorical Imperative Related?

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  08 October 2015

Ido Geiger
Ido Geiger*
Affiliation:
Ben-Gurion University of the Negev; Humboldt Universität zu Berlin
*
Email: [email protected]
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Abstract

The article defends three claims regarding the relation between the different formulas of the categorical imperative. (1) On its prevailing reading, FUL gives different moral guidance than FH; left answered, this problem is an argument for adopting a competing perspective on FUL. (2) The prohibitions and commands of the formulas should be taken to be extensionally the same; but FKE adds a dimension missing from the others, gained by uniting their perspectives, namely, bringing the variety of moral laws into systematic unity. (3) The grammatically ambiguous phrase in GMS, 4: 436.9–10 claims that FA alone unites the other formulas in itself.

Keywords

formula of universal lawformula of humanityformula of the kingdom of endsequivalence of the formulas of the categorical imperativesystem of moral lawscomplete determinationlove and respectmoral knowledgemoral guidance
Type
Articles
Information
Kantian Review , Volume 20 , Issue 3 , November 2015 , pp. 395 - 419
Copyright
© Kantian Review 2015 

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