Maxim, ethical
Maxim, ethical
In general any rule of conduct which an individual may adopt, or which he may be advised to follow as a good guide for action, e.g., Descartes’ maxim to try always to conquer himself rather than fortune. The formulation of such rules is often recommended as a help in deciding what to do in particular cases, especially if time is short, in resisting temptation, etc. Kant held (1) that each voluntary act proceeds according to a maxim or “subjective principle of action,” e.g., in breaking a promise one has as one’s maxim, “When it is to my advantage, I will make a promise and not keep it,” (2) that one can tell whether an act is right or not by asking whether one can will its maxim to be a universal law. — W.K.F.