categorical imperative
21categorical/hypothetical imperative — A pair contrasted in Kantian ethics. A hypothetical imperative embeds a command which is in place only given some antecedent desire or project: ‘If you want to look wise, stay quiet.’ The injunction to stay quiet only applies to those with the… …
22Categorical — See:* Categorical imperative * Morley s categoricity theorem * Categorical data analysis * Categorical distribution * Categorical logic * Categorical syllogism * Categorical proposition * Categorization * Categorical perception * Category theory… …
23categorical — adj. unconditional, absolute; explicit, direct (a categorical refusal). Phrases and idioms: categorical imperative Ethics an unconditional moral obligation derived from pure reason; the bidding of conscience as ultimate moral law. Derivatives:… …
24Imperative, Categorical — • A term which originated in Immanuel Kant s ethics Catholic Encyclopedia. Kevin Knight. 2006 …
25imperative — n. in ethics, a principle used to direct or guide one s actions. Kantian ethics distinguishes between categorical and hypothetical imperatives. Whereas the latter are merely prudent or expedient and will vary with circumstances, the former are… …
26Hypothetical imperative — A hypothetical imperative, originally introduced in the philosophical writings of Immanuel Kant, is a commandment of reason that applies only conditionally: if A , then B , where A is a condition or goal, and B is an action. Then A would be a… …
27Moral imperative — A moral imperative is a principle originating inside a person s mind that compels that person to act. It is a kind of categorical imperative, as defined by Immanuel Kant. Kant took the imperative to be a dictate of pure reason, in its practical… …
28hypothetical imperative — noun a principle stating the action required to attain a desired goal • Hypernyms: ↑principle, ↑precept * * * noun Etymology: translation of German hypothetischer imperativ : an imperative of conduct that springs from expediency or practical… …
29IMPERATIVE, THE CATEGORICAL — See CATEGORIES …
30hypothetical imperative — See categorical/hypothetical imperative …
