Does the "Categorical Imperative" work?

Answer 1

I don't think so. Not in a real-life, practical way, anyway. There are a few reasons why, but I think the main one is because the behavior of the overwhelming majority of people is not governed by reason. People aren't robots or Vulcans. To expect them to stop and reflect on whether or not their actions conform to the categorical imperative at all times is pretty unrealistic.

Perhaps in Königsberg during the Aufklarung things were different, but I doubt it. Like a lot of things, the categorical imperative sounds good in theory, though. ; )

Answer 2

The problem with your question is that it's missing a purpose. Work FOR what? When I applied the categorical imperitive to try and get my car to repair itself, it worked very poorly indeed. As an ethical system, it may or may not work well.

One of its problems is that it's complicated. As a concept, it's not too hard, but application can really be a zinger. Even Kant had to start elaborating on PRACTICAL exceptions to the FORMAL rules. When you get into niggling details, it can be all but impossible to determine where the benefits lie.

Take, for example, gay marriage. Will society collapse if no gay person is allowed to marry? Clearly not. Will society collapse if all gay people are allowed to marry? Again clearly not. There are examples of both of these situations around. That leaves us then with the difficult task of determining which option is overall more beneficial to mankind, and summations of this sort can come to quite different conclusions based on the different valuations of the people doing the adding.

Speaking for myself, I think it works well as a thought experiment or as one of many tools to help determine ethical appropriateness. But as a sole determinant of what it right and wrong (and for fixing cars) I think it leaves something to be desired.

Answer 3

Isn't it consequentialist?

"Act as if they maxim were to become a universal law"

I have to think about what will happen in the future if my existential action was taken up by the entire community. Do the ends justify the means?

Maybe not.