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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." Another
variation which he used was "Act only on a principle all rational agents could act on.
Most religious moral systems comprise categorical imperatives.
Kant contrasted a categorical imperative with hypothetical imperatives, which take the conditional 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.
One problem with Kant's categorical imperative is the emphasis on people's agreement - is it even possible to get all people to agree on any ethical principle? Another problem is his emphasis on rationality. When people act morally, they aren't always acting rationally and it isn't clear that only rational considerations should be taken into account when considering moral questions.
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Related Resources:
What are Ethics and Morality?
Ethics is the formal study of moral standards and conduct. For this reason, the study of ethics is also often called "moral philosophy." What is good? What is evil? How should I behave - and why? How should I balance my needs against the needs of others?What is Philosophy?
What is philosophy? Is there any point in studying philosophy, or is it a useless subject? What are the different branches of philosophy - what's the difference between aestheitcs and ethics? What's the difference between metaphysics and epistemology?
