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Definition: A categorical imperative is an absolute and universal moral obligation. One of the most famous is Kant's categorical imperative, especially because it is through him that the phrase is widely known. According to Kant, "Act only according to that maxim whereby you can at the same time will that it become a universal law." Most religious moral systems are comprised of categorical imperatives.
Kant contrasted a categorical imperative with hypothetical imperatives, which take the condition form of "If you want to achieve goal X, you must perform act A." Hypothetical imperatives are not universal or absolute, because they are necessarily conditioned on some goal or desire.
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Related Resources:
What is an Argument?
It helps to know what, exactly, an argument is before you can critique one and tell what is wrong with it. Sometimes, people say they are making arguments when they are not!How do you critique an argument?
Assuming that we have established that we have an actual argument, the next step is to examine it for validity. There are two points on which an argument might fail: its premises or its inferences.What is a Fallacy?
Fallacies are defects in an argument - other than false premises - which cause an argument to be invalid, unsound or weak. By understanding what fallacies are, you can avoid making them and more easily detect them in the work of others.Index of Fallacies
Known logical fallacies listed in categories and explained as to why they are defects in arguments as opposed to valid reasoning. Examples are included so that you can better see what is happening.
