Summary
Summary Explain the issue of clashing and competing duties for Kant
- Module
- Moral Philosophy
- Institution
- AQA
Explain the issue of clashing and competing duties for Kantian ethics
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Charlotte LoganExplain the issue of clashing and competing duties. (5 Marks)
A duty is an obligation we have towards someone or something. Kant argues that our moral
duties are absolute and that a duty is absolute if it permits no exceptions. Nothing can
override a moral duty, because it is categorical. All other ends have their worth in relation to
the good will and the good will is motivated by duty. Conflict can occur when two absolute
duties clash with each other. Do I betray a friend to save a life? When faced with a situation
in which you must choose one or the other, Kant’s theory infers that whatever you do will
be wrong. As a response to this, according to Kant if there appears to be conflict, we have
simply misunderstood what the duty requires from us. If duties are absolute, they must be
formulated carefully for us to never face a possibility of conflict. However, in some
circumstances the duties will always conflict so the less important duty, like don’t lie,
becomes irrelevant in situations where it could lead to inexplicable circumstances, like the
loss of a life.
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