Single Idea 24012

[catalogued under 23. Ethics / D. Deontological Ethics / 6. Motivation for Duty]

Full Idea

There is a certain moral woodenness or even insolence in Kant's blank regard for consistency. It smacks of Keynes's Principle of Unfairness - that if you can't do a good turn to everybody, you shouldn't do it to anybody.

Gist of Idea

Kant's love of consistency is too rigid, and it even overrides normal fairness

Source

Bernard Williams (Morality and the emotions [1965], p.226)

Book Reference

Williams,Bernard: 'Problems of the Self: Papers 1956-1972' [CUP 1979], p.226


A Reaction

He says it also turns each of us into a Supreme Legislator, which deifies man. It is clearly not the case that morality consists entirely of rules and principles, but Williams recognises their role, in truth-telling for example.