The first prong of Kant's Formula of Universal Law is the contradiction in conception test.
- The first prong of Kant's Formula of Universal Law is the contradiction in conception test.
- Imagine an act, like lying or stealing.
- Now, push it to its limit–what if everyone always did that act all of the time.
- If everyone lied, there would be no reason to ever trust anyone's promises to be true, and thus there would be no reason to lie.
- If everyone stole, there would be no property rights, and there would be nothing to steal.
- If the act destroys the concept of the act, then it is not moral.
- To be clear, this is necessary but not sufficient.
- Plenty of nasty acts don't self-destruct like this.
- This has echoes of the Rawlsian Veil of Ignorance.
- If you remove your situated perspective entirely, would you want to live in a world with it or without it?
- Related: this insight about our modern political reality from an insightful Hacker News comment:
- "Yup, if I claim everyone is corrupt, then I can be corrupt.
- Ironically, if I'm corrupt, I probably honestly assume everyone else is, or at least superficially assume that.
- Because if I don't, I might think other people are good and I am bad."