Concept in Definition ABC

This word is used in the language colloquial to indicate that something is resounding in a positive or negative sense ("he said no categorically" or "I am categorically in favor of the proposal"). On the other hand, this term has a philosophical dimension.

The categorical in the syllogism

When we affirm or deny something about a class, we use categorical propositions. Thus, if I say "all athletes are young" I am affirming something according to a category universal and if I say "some poets are romantic" it is a statement with a particular category.

On the other hand, the categorical syllogism is a type of statement constructed from two premises and a conclusion. For example, the following argument is a sample of a categorical syllogism: All dogs are animals, some dogs are black, and therefore some animals are dogs.

Categorical propositions depend on a series of rules (one of them would be that if the two premises of the syllogism are affirmative, it is not possible that the conclusion is negative).

The Kantian categorical imperative

In the field of moral obligations we use hypothetical or conditional judgments. So if I say "brush your teeth if you don't want to go to the dentist"I affirm something that is conditioned (if you want A you must do B).

However, there are other types of judgments that are not hypothetical but categorical. These judgments must arise from our own conviction moral, that is, of a law that we impose ourselves as rule from conduct. Consequently, the categorical imperative does not say what has to be done but how it should be done.

In other words, the moral law that we individually employ is acceptable as long as everyone can accept it as valid.

The classic example of a categorical imperative would go on to say the following: act according to a moral rule that is valid for everyone. If my moral rule is "I do whatever I want," you don't want that rule to work for everyone.

On the other hand, if I say "I behave with the intention of doing good to others", this statement is a categorical imperative, since it is a moral rule that one imposes oneself and, at the same time, becomes a principle universal.

The categorical imperative formulated by Kant claims to be a general moral principle. According to this approach, moral questions should not be based on proposals such as "do not steal because it is a sin" or "do not tell lies because it is not right", rather, moral principles must start from a rational criterion: act according to rules that can be accepted by any being human.

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