Implementing the Categorical Imperative in Practice Nine Policy Guidelines

This working paper applies the ethical principles of the Categorical Imperative (Immanuel Kant) and the Golden Rule to concrete policy areas.Starting from the maxim Do not make others unhappy, nine domains are identied in which a universalisable practice can be implemented: from the regulation of disinformation, through climate protection and wealth concentration, to digital sovereignty and open AI infrastructure. The paper is intended as a basis for discussion on the application of deontological and contractualist ethics to policymaking. It draws on John Rawls' Theory of Justice (in particular the Dierence Principle) as well as Tim Berners-Lee's concept of the Giant Global Graph as a foundation for precise and neutral knowledge.