Kant: The Universal Law Formation Of The Categorical Imperative Essay, Research Paper
Kant: the Universal Law Formation of the Categorical Imperative
Kantian philosophy outlines the Universal Law Formation of the
Categorical Imperative as a method for determining morality of actions.
This formula is a two part test. First, one creates a maxim and
considers whether the maxim could be a universal law for all rational
beings. Second, one determines whether rational beings would will it to
be a universal law. Once it is clear that the maxim passes both prongs
of the test, there are no exceptions. As a paramedic faced with a
distraught widow who asks whether her late husband suffered in his
accidental death, you must decide which maxim to create and based on the
test which action to perform. The maxim “when answering a widow’s
inquiry as to the nature and duration of her late husbands death, one
should always tell the truth regarding the nature of her late husband’s
death” (M1) passes both parts of the Universal Law Formation of the
Categorical Imperative. Consequently, according to Kant, M1 is a moral
action.
The initial stage of the Universal Law Formation of the Categorical
Imperative requires that a maxim be universally applicable to all
rational beings. M1 succeeds in passing the first stage. We can easily
imagine a world in which paramedics always answer widows truthfully when
queried. Therefore, this maxim is logical and everyone can abide by it
without causing a logical impossibility. The next logical step is to
apply the second stage of the test.
The second requirement is that a rational being would will this maxim
to become a universal law. In testing this part, you must decide whether
in every case, a rational being would believe that the morally correct
action is to tell the truth. First, it is clear that the widow expects
to know the truth. A lie would only serve to spare her feelings if she
believed it to be the truth. Therefore, even people who would consider
lying to her, must concede that the correct and expected action is to
tell the truth. By asking she has already decided, good or bad, that she
must know the truth.
What if telling the truth brings the widow to the point where she
commits suicide, however? Is telling her the truth then a moral action
although its consequence is this terrible response? If telling the
widow the truth drives her to commit suicide, it seems like no rational
being would will the maxim to become a universal law. The suicide is,
however, a consequence of your initial action. The suicide has no
bearing, at least for the Categorical Imperative, on whether telling the
truth is moral or not. Likewise it is impossible to judge whether upon
hearing the news, the widow would commit suicide. Granted it is a
possibility, but there are a multitude of alternative choices that she
could make and it is impossible to predict each one. To decide whether
rational being would will a maxim to become a law, the maxim itself must
be examined rationally and not its consequences. Accordingly, the maxim
passes the second test.
Conversely, some people might argue that in telling the widow a lie,
you spare her years of torment and suffering. These supporters of “white
lies” feel the maxim should read, “When facing a distraught widow, you
should lie in regards to the death of her late husband in order to spare
her feelings.” Applying the first part of the Universal Law Formation of
the Categorical Imperative, it appears that this maxim is a moral act.
Certainly, a universal law that prevents the feelings of people who are
already in pain from being hurt further seems like an excellent
universal law. Unfortunately for this line of objection, the only reason
a lie works is because the person being lied to believes it to be the
truth. In a situation where every widow is lied to in order to spare her
feelings, then they never get the truth. This leads to a logical
contradiction because no one will believe a lie if they know it a lie
and the maxim
Другие работы по теме:
The Categorical Imperative Applied To A False
Promise Essay, Research Paper The Categorical Imperative Applied to a False Promise In the Foundations of the Metaphysics of Morals, Kant seeks to establish the supreme principle of morality (Kant. 392), the categorical imperative, to act as a standard to which actions can be evaluated for their moral worth.
Kant And Disinterestedness Essay Research Paper
“which we Disinterestedness has been a reaccurant theme in aesthetic thought throughout recent times. Kant was one of the first to discribe disinterestedness as an basic and universal part of the aesthetic judgement experiance. However the notion of disinterestedness did not origninate with Kant; it is to be found in the writtings of many Eighteenth centuray philosophers such as Stolinitz, Shaftsbury, Hutcheson, Gerard and Burke.
Kant Goodness Essay Research Paper Kant Goodness
Kant: Goodness Essay, Research Paper Kant: Goodness The philosopher I used is Immanuel Kant. He was very practical in his thinking of goodness. A quote of his was “I ought, therefore I can”. His view
The Architectonic Form Of Kant
’s Copernican System Essay, Research Paper The Architectonic Form of Kant’s Copernican System Human reason is by nature architectonic. That is to say, it regards all our
Kant 2 Essay Research Paper Morality Kant
Kant 2 Essay, Research Paper Morality, Kant says, cannot be regarded as a set of rules which prescribe the means necessary to the achievement of a given end; its rules must be obeyed without consideration of the consequences that will follow from doing so or not. A principle that presupposes a desired object as the determinant of the will cannot give rise to a moral law; that is, the morality of an act of will cannot be determined by the matter or content of the will for when the will is materially determined the question of its morality does not arise.
Morality Essay Research Paper This essay will
Morality Essay, Research Paper This essay will compare and contrast the moral philosophies of three people: St Augustine, Immanuel Kant, and Aristotle. Everybody has their own concept of what good is. Most people agree on certain things such as the morality of murder, stealing, etc. , however, as our conceptions are looked at with greater detail, why we do good, how we do good, and basically what good stands for, varies.
Kant An Act Of Moral Worth
Essay, Research Paper Jill had been driving down a deserted road when her tire became flat. With no one around for miles she struggled with changing the tire when Jack happened to be driving by and stopped to give her a hand. How and why is this an act of genuine moral worth?
Kant Essay Research Paper KantKant argues that
Kant Essay, Research Paper Kant Kant argues that ?there can be no rule by which someone could be compelled to acknowledge that something is beautiful. No one can use reasons or principles to talk us into a judgment on whether some garment, house, or flower is beautiful.? What does it mean to say something is beautiful? Even though it appears to be a simple question it becomes apparent that this is a very complicated question and one of vital importance if we truly wish to understand if someone could be compelled to acknowledge that something is beautiful.
How Are Synthetic A Prirori Ju Essay
, Research Paper Kant theorizes that synthetic a priori judgments are conceived before an event occurs. He makes the assumption that these synthetic a priori judgments are plausible without any empirical knowledge, exposure, experience, or any related comprehension. Ergo it is false to assume that synthetic a priori conclusions are not justifiable because the articulation of conscious and unconscious stimuli is an occurrence since birth.
Kants Morality Essay Research Paper Kant starts
Kant`s Morality Essay, Research Paper Kant starts off making two distinctions regarding kinds of knowledge, empirical/rational and formal/material. Empirical or experience-based knowledge
Duty And Reason As The Ultimate Principle
: Kant Essay, Research Paper Duty and Reason as the Ultimate Principle: Kant Kant claims that only actions from duty have moral worth. In other words, actions from motives other than duty deserve no positive moral evaluation. I like and agree with Kant?s view because I believe that a good will makes a good person.
Is Michelangelo
’s Pieta A Better Work Of Art Than Duchamp’s Fountain Would Kant And Hume Agree??? Essay, Research Paper When one looks at two very different works of art like Michelangelo?s Pieta and Duchamp?s Fountain
Can Feelings Play A Role In Moral
Reasoning? Essay, Research Paper Can Feelings Play A Role In Moral Reasoning? The discussion of how feelings affect morality is quite prevalent in both David Hume and Immanuel Kant’s works. While each philosopher touches on the topic of feelings, both men differ in their outlook on the role feelings play in our moral lives.
What Objections Would A Deonteologist Have Essay
, Research Paper Whereas a teleological theory of ethics holds that an action is right, depending on the consequences; a deonteological theory states that an action is right, depending on the nature of the act itself, or of the intention of the person performing the act. Immanuel Kant, a deonteologist, once said, “It is man’s ability to reason, his own ability to think objectively and apart from his own circumstances and doings, that distinguishes him from all other creatures.” Reason is an innate intellectual power, existing more or less equally in everyone.
Kant Essay Research Paper KANTKant begins to
Kant Essay, Research Paper KANT Kant begins to claim that there is nothing in the world that can be regarded as good without qualification except good will. He says that qualities of temperment such as
Rationality Essay Research Paper Mark KlassJune 1
Rationality Essay, Research Paper Mark Klass June 1, 2000 I believe rationality is incorrectly dictated by society. Generally when one is irrational he or she is contradicting the “normal” or what everyone is programmed to do. Kant says “Can you also will that your maxim should become a universal law.”1 In part I agree to the theory of universal law where “rational” is judged by universality or what everyone should do.
Metaphysis Essay Research Paper Hello I
Metaphysis Essay, Research Paper : Hello: : I need help, I have somes question would help me. 1. do the criticisms that hume makes of Design Arguments all apply to Thomas’ Teleological Argument?
Immanuel Kant
– Enlightenment Essay, Research Paper What is enlightenment? Immanuel Kant attempts to clarify the meaning of enlightenment while composing the essay, “What is Enlightenment?”. This document was written in response to political and social changes brought about by King Frederick of Prussia. The goal of Kant’s essay was to discuss what the nature of enlightenment was.
Hume Vs Kant Essay Research Paper Hume
Hume Vs. Kant Essay, Research Paper Hume vs. Kant On the Nature of Morality From the origin of Western philosophical thought, there has been an interest in moral laws. As Hume points out in the Treatise, "morality is a subject that interests us above all others" (David Hume "A Treatise of Human Nature’).
Kant And Mill Essay Research Paper Kant
Kant And Mill Essay, Research Paper Kant: Universal Law Formation of the Categorical Imperative Mill: Utilitarianism Immanuel Kant?s philosophy frames the Universal Law Formation of the Categorical Imperative as a procedure for determining morality of actions. This method contains two vital components.
Mill Vs Kant Essay Research Paper SummaryImmanuel
Mill Vs. Kant Essay, Research Paper Summary Immanuel Kant and John Stuart Mill are philosophers who addressed the issues of morality in terms of how moral traditions are formed. Immanuel Kant has presented one viewpoint in The Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Morals that is founded on his belief that the worth of man is inherent in his ability to reason.
A Book Report On Kant
’s Fundamental Principles Of The Metaphysic Of Morals Essay, Research Paper Kant states (38,) “act as if the maxim of thy action were to become by thy will a universal law of nature”. This “categorical imperative” forms the basis of his book, Fundamental Principles of the Metaphysics of Morals. Though at times his writing is confusing Kant lays out his logic as to what a categorical imperative is.
American Transcendentalism Essay Research Paper American TranscendentalismTranscendentalism
American Transcendentalism Essay, Research Paper American Transcendentalism Transcendentalism as espoused by Ralph Waldo Emerson is essen tially an idealist philosophy, derived from Kant’s concept of the Tran scendental and opposed to the skepticism of Locke and the Empiricists. In the essay The Transcendentalist, Emerson wrote, “[Kant showed] that there was a very important class of ideas or imperative forms, which do not come by experience, but through which experience was acquired; that these were intuitions of the mind itself; and he denominated them Tran scendental forms.”1 According to Emerson’s understanding of Kant, Transcendentalism becomes a union of solipsism, under which the only verifiable reality is thought to be the self, and materialism, under which the only verifiable reality is the quantifiable external world of objects and sense data.
Immanuel Kant Essay Research Paper Meetesh Patel
Immanuel Kant Essay, Research Paper Meetesh Patel Philosophy Immanuel Kant Immanuel Kant is one of the most influential philosophers in the history of western philosophy. His contributions to metaphysics, epistemology, ethics, and aesthetics have had a profound impact on almost every philosophical movement that followed him.
Asses The Value Of Kant Essay Research
Paper The ethics of Immanuel Kant are based on the belief that ethics stem from rules and reason much like the law of gravity, they are universal and applied always regardless of circumstances. He believed that the capacity to reason was unique to man and when exercised this was what it meant to be a moral human being.
Kant- The Universal Law Formation Of The
Categoric Essay, Research Paper Kant: the Universal Law Formation of the Categorical ImperativeKantian philosophy outlines the Universal Law Formation of theCategorical Imperative as a method for determining morality of actions. This formula is a two part test. First, one creates a maxim andconsiders whether the maxim could be a universal law for all rationalbeings.
Immanuel Kant Vs Joshua Wegner Essay Research
Paper Joshua Wegner Philosophy 101 12/07/00 Trentacoste Immanuel Kant vs. Joshua Wegner THE RIGHT TO PUNISH: RETRIBUTIVISM As a society we all accept the fact that if you do something wrong you must be held responsible for your actions and pay the consequences. We all accept the concept of punishment, even though we are aware that we, ourselves, could one day be subjected to answer for our actions.
Church And State Essay Research Paper Church
Church And State Essay, Research Paper Church and State When I try to think of solutions to world problems in my mind I end up with a headache, in an absolute state of confusion, which brings me right back to the same problem I started out with. It is like a confusing arithmetic problem that I don?t quite understand but all many possible solutions come to my mind, but the light bulb has just not went off yet.
Kant Essay Research Paper 18th century German
Kant Essay, Research Paper 18th century German philosopher Immanuel Kant (1724-1804) presents a criterion of moral obligation, which he calls the categorical imperative. Kant s account of morality fits squarely into the deontological tradition and is found in three principal books: The Foundations of the Metaphysics of Morals (1785), The Critique of Practical Reason (1788), and The Metaphysics of Morals (1798).
Kant Essay Research Paper Immanuel Kant was
Kant Essay, Research Paper Immanuel Kant was a sound, grounded philosopher of the Enlightenment. His explanations were black and white, clear-cut, which may be seen as his greatest attribute, as well as his worst flaw. The drive behind all of Kant’s ideas was reason. To Kant, morality was a matter of rational, acting morally equaled acting rationally.
Metaphysics By Kant And Hume Essay Research
Paper Metaphysics as Addressed by Kant and Hume In the Prolegomena, Kant states that reading David Hume, “awakened him from his dogmatic slumber.” It was Hume’s An Inquiry Concerning Human Understanding that made Kant aware of issues and prejudices in his life that he had previously been unaware of. This further prompted Kant to respond to Hume with his own analysis on the theory of metaphysics.
Kant Essay Research Paper Immanuel Kant 17241804
Kant Essay, Research Paper Immanuel Kant (1724-1804) had an interesting ethical system for reasoning. It is based on a belief that the reason is the final authority for morality. In Kant?s eyes reason is directly correlated with morals and ideals. Actions of any sort, he believed, must be undertaken from a sense of duty dictated by reason, and no action performed for appropriateness or solely in obedience to law or custom can be regarded as moral.
Kant S Ethics Essay Research Paper Kant
Kant S Ethics Essay, Research Paper Kant s Ethics In the Metaphysics of Ethics (1797) Kant described his ethical system, which is based on a belief that the reason is the final authority for morality. Actions of any sort, he believed, must be undertaken from a sense of duty dictated by reason, and no action performed for expediency
Kant
’s Fundamental Principles Of The Metaphysics Of Moral Essay, Research Paper Kant’s Fundamental Principles of the Metaphysics of Moral The central concept of Kant’s Fundamental Principles of the Metaphysics of