Hypothetical Imperatives: Conditional Commands
Summary
A hypothetical imperative is a conditional command—it tells you what to do IF you want to achieve a particular goal. The form is always: "If you want X, then you should do Y". Examples: "If you want to be healthy, you should exercise" or "If you want to pass your exam, you should study". The command only applies if you have that desire or goal—if you don't want to be healthy, the imperative to exercise doesn't apply to you. Kant argues hypothetical imperatives are NOT moral commands because they depend on personal desires and are essentially selfish—you're only acting to get what you want. True moral duties must be categorical (unconditional), not hypothetical (conditional), because morality must apply to everyone regardless of their desires. Hypothetical imperatives are about prudence (achieving goals), not morality (doing duty). There are two types: problematic (skills—goals you may or may not have) and assertoric (happiness—universal desire).
Detailed Explanation
What Is an Imperative?
Definition
- An imperative is a command—a statement telling you what you ought to do.
- It presents an action as necessary.
Examples
- "Do your homework"
- "Tell the truth"
- "Study for your exam"
- "Exercise regularly"
What Is a Hypothetical Imperative?
Definition
- A hypothetical imperative is a conditional command—it depends on you having a particular goal, desire, or interest.
Form
- "If you want X, then you should do Y"
- Or: "Because you want X, you should do Y"
Etymology
- "Hypothetical" means conditional—based on a hypothesis or assumption.
- The imperative is based on the hypothesis that you have a certain desire.
Examples of Hypothetical Imperatives
Health Example
"If you want to be healthier, you should exercise more and eat healthier food".
- The command to exercise depends on your desire to be healthy
- If you don't want to be healthy, the command doesn't apply
Academic Example
"If you want to do well on a test, then you should study a lot".
- The command to study depends on your desire to do well
- If you don't care about the test, the command doesn't apply
Career Example
"If you want to get into medical school, then you must study hard".
- The command depends on your desire to become a doctor
- If you don't want to be a doctor, the command doesn't apply
Language Example
"If you wish to become fluent, then you must practice speaking daily".
- The command depends on your desire to be fluent
- If you don't want to be fluent, the command doesn't apply
Why Hypothetical Imperatives Are NOT Moral
The Key Problem: Dependence on Desires
Kant's Argument
- Hypothetical imperatives depend on personal desires and goals.
- If you don't have the relevant desire, the imperative doesn't apply to you.
- But moral commands must apply to everyone, regardless of their desires.
- Therefore: Hypothetical imperatives cannot be moral commands.
- Moral duties must be categorical (unconditional), not hypothetical (conditional).
Hypothetical Imperatives Are Selfish
Kant's View
- Kant felt hypothetical imperatives were selfish actions.
- They are about pursuing your own goals—what you want.
Kant's Quote (paraphrased)
"If we do not act out of duty, we will act out of a hypothetical imperative that involves our personal desires, which could only involve self-interest."
The Danger
- If everyone only acted on hypothetical imperatives, people would only do what suits them.
- This would be "a disaster for society".
Hypothetical Imperatives Are Goal-Centred, Not Moral
Kant's Analysis
- Hypothetical imperatives are goal-centred—they tell you how to achieve your goals.
- They are like advice or instructions, not moral rules.
The Contrast
Prudential (about achieving your goals) ≠ Moral (about doing your duty)
- Hypothetical imperatives are prudential
- Moral imperatives must be categorical
Two Types of Hypothetical Imperative
Kant's Distinction
1. Problematic Hypothetical Imperatives (Imperatives of Skill)
- The end or goal is possible but not necessary—you may or may not have it.
Example
"If you want to get into medical school, study hard".
- You may or may not want to get into medical school.
- Whether you have this goal is problematic (uncertain).
2. Assertoric Hypothetical Imperatives (Imperatives of Prudence)
- The end or goal is something everyone necessarily has—happiness.
Example
"If you want to be happy, do X".
- Kant thinks everyone necessarily desires happiness.
- So these imperatives apply to everyone—but are still hypothetical because they're conditional on this universal desire.
Hypothetical vs. Categorical Imperatives
The Fundamental Contrast
| Aspect | Hypothetical Imperative | Categorical Imperative |
|---|---|---|
| Form | "If you want X, do Y" | "Do Y" |
| Condition | Conditional on desires | Unconditional |
| Applies to | Only those with the desire | Everyone, always |
| Binding | Only if you have the goal | Absolutely necessary |
| Type | Prudential/advice | Moral duty |
| Example | "If you want to be trusted, tell the truth" | "Tell the truth" |
The Moral Law Must Be Categorical
Kant's Argument
- A moral law discoverable by reason must be universal.
- It cannot be conditional on anything particular to an individual.
- It cannot depend on:
- Our desires
- Our particular situation
- The consequences our action might have
Conclusion
- Hypothetical imperatives cannot be moral.
- The moral law involves categorical imperatives, which we have a duty to always follow.
The Shopkeeper Example Revisited
Applying the Distinction
Shopkeeper Acting on Hypothetical Imperative
"If I want to attract more customers, I should charge fair prices".
- His action (charging fair prices) depends on his desire (to attract customers)
- If he didn't want more customers, he wouldn't charge fair prices
- This is not morally worthy—he's acting from self-interest
Shopkeeper Acting on Categorical Imperative
"I should charge fair prices" (no "if" clause).
- His action doesn't depend on any desire—he does it because it's right
- He would charge fair prices even if it didn't benefit him
- This is morally worthy—he's acting from duty
Strengths of the Distinction
Strength 1: Captures Intuition About Self-Interest
We intuitively feel there's something morally different between doing the right thing because it benefits you and doing the right thing because it's right. Kant's distinction captures this intuition.
Strength 2: Explains Why Desires Don't Justify Actions
Just because you want something doesn't make it right. Hypothetical imperatives only tell you how to get what you want—not what you should want. Kant rightly separates prudence (achieving goals) from morality (doing duty).
Strength 3: Provides Universal Moral Standards
If morality depended on desires, different people would have different moral rules. By making moral imperatives categorical, Kant ensures morality is universal.
Criticisms of the Distinction
Criticism 1: Some Hypothetical Imperatives Seem Moral
The Objection: Philippa Foot argues that morality itself might be a system of hypothetical imperatives.
Example
"If you want people to trust you, then you ought to tell the truth". Isn't this a moral reason to tell the truth, even though it's hypothetical?
Criticism 2: Why Should We Care About Categorical Imperatives?
The Objection: If categorical imperatives don't connect to our desires, why should we obey them? What motivates us to follow a command that has nothing to do with what we want?
Foot's Challenge: Perhaps morality only has force because it connects to things we care about—making it hypothetical after all.
Criticism 3: Kant's View of Desires Is Too Negative
The Objection: Kant assumes desires are always selfish. But what about the desire to help others, to be kind, to do good? Are these desires selfish?
Scholarly Perspectives
"All imperatives command either hypothetically or categorically. The former present the practical necessity of a possible action as a means to achieving something else which one desires… The categorical imperative would be one which presented an action as of itself objectively necessary, without regard to any other end. If the action is good only as a means to something else, the imperative is hypothetical; but if it is thought of as good in itself, the imperative is categorical."
Kant's foundational distinction between hypothetical and categorical imperatives—hypothetical imperatives are conditional on desires and tell us how to achieve goals; categorical imperatives are unconditional and tell us our moral duties.
"A hypothetical imperative could be 'if you want X, then you should do Y.' For example: 'If you desire to be seen as a good person, you should help others.' A moral law discoverable by reason must be universal. It cannot be conditional on anything particular to an individual. It cannot depend on things like our desires, our particular situation, or the consequences our action might have. This means hypothetical imperatives cannot be moral."
Explaining why hypothetical imperatives cannot be moral commands—they depend on individual desires, but morality must be universal and unconditional.
Quick Reference: Hypothetical Imperatives
| Aspect | Description |
|---|---|
| Definition | Conditional command: "If you want X, do Y" |
| "Hypothetical" | Conditional—based on a hypothesis about your desires |
| Applies to | Only those who have the relevant desire |
| Goal-centred | About achieving your goals, not about duty |
| Prudential | Advice on how to get what you want |
| Two Types | Problematic (skills) and Assertoric (happiness) |
| NOT moral | Depends on desires; selfish; not universal |
| Contrast | Categorical imperatives are unconditional moral duties |
Key Takeaways
Hypothetical imperative = conditional command: "If you want X, do Y"
"Hypothetical" means conditional—depends on having a particular desire
Examples: "If you want to be healthy, exercise"; "If you want to pass, study"
Only applies if you HAVE the relevant desire—no desire, no command
Goal-centred and prudential: about achieving YOUR goals
NOT moral because depends on individual desires; essentially selfish
Moral law must be universal—can't depend on particular desires
Two types: Problematic (skills—may or may not have goal) and Assertoric (happiness—everyone has)
Contrast with categorical: hypothetical = conditional; categorical = unconditional
Shopkeeper example: acting for customers (hypothetical) vs acting because right (categorical)
Criticism: Philippa Foot—maybe morality IS hypothetical; why obey commands unconnected to desires?