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What term is used for unconditional commands that are binding on everyone at all times, according to Kant, determining our moral duties?

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User Davina
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Final answer:

The term for unconditional commands that determine our moral duties according to Kant is the 'categorical imperative,' which must be followed universally and irrespective of one's desires.

Step-by-step explanation:

The term used for the unconditional commands that are binding on everyone at all times, determining our moral duties according to Kant, is the categorical imperative. Categorical imperatives are derived by reason and are different from hypothetical imperatives, which only direct us to an end that we might desire. Kant's deontological ethics emphasizes that the categorical imperative is a universal law that must be followed irrespective of any particular inclinations or ends.

Kant identifies the categorical imperative with the concept of a law that has an unconditional and objective necessity, commanding obedience even against personal inclination. For example, one formulation of the categorical imperative is to "Act only according to that maxim whereby you can, at the same time, will that it should become a universal law." This encapsulates the idea that our actions should be such that they could be willed by everyone without contradiction, thus reflecting their moral nature.

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User Dvr
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