Episode 41: The Categorical Imperative

In this episode, we discuss Immanuel Kant's famous "Categorical Imperative." An imperative is a command- you ought to do such and such. Kant argues there are two kinds of Imperatives: Hypothetical imperatives and Categorical imperatives. A hypothetical imperative is something you should do if you have a particular goal in mind: for example, if you want to lose weight, you should exercise and eat healthy. Categorical imperatives, on the other hand, are things you should do regardless of your particular desires or goals. So, what is the categorical imperative?