Question

what is Kant’s basic approach to morality in general, the different formulations of the Categorical Imperative, and actions that are deemed morally wrong via the Categorical Imperative

Answer 1

Kant's theory states that the rightness or wrongness of an action depends on its fulfillment of duty and does not depend on its consequences. His theory is a deontological moral theory and he believed that there was a supreme principle for morality which he called the Categorical Imperative.

The different formulations of categorical imperative are:

• First formulation: Act only according to that maxim whereby you can, at the same time, will that it should become a universal law.
• Second formulation (The formula of humanity): Act in such a way that you treat humanity, whether in your own person or the person of any other, never merely as a means to an end, but always at the same time as an end.
• Third formulation (the formula of autonomy): Thus the third practical principle follows as the ultimate condition of their harmony from the practical reason: The idea of the will of every rational being as a universally legislating will.
• The kingdom of ends formulation: Act according to the maxims of a universally legislating member of a merely possible kingdom of ends.

Kant argues that only those actions are morally wrong via the Categorical Imperative, which have a bad motivation behind it. A person is good or bad depending on the motivation behind their actions and not on the goodness of the consequences of the action.