Single Idea 6477

[catalogued under 23. Ethics / D. Deontological Ethics / 4. Categorical Imperative]

Full Idea

It is implicit in the categorical imperative that I can will that everyone should adopt as a maxim only what everyone else can also will that everyone should adopt as a maxim.

Gist of Idea

I can only universalise a maxim if everyone else could also universalise it

Source

Thomas Nagel (Equality and Partiality [1991], Ch.5)

Book Reference

Nagel,Thomas: 'Equality and Partiality' [OUP 1995], p.48


A Reaction

This is a nice move, because it shifts the theory away from a highly individualistic Cartesian view of morality towards the idea that morality is a community activity.