Similarities Between Kant And Utilitarianism

Our moral duties or actions are often based on the moralities and duties. As studied, two ethical and philosophical theories perfectly explain and study our moral behaviors and thoughts. The two theories are named Utilitarianism which emphasizes on morality based on good and pleasant consequences, and the Deontological theory which in contrary of the Utilitarianism focuses on Duties and rights. In order to put these theories in practice, a situation of a train is given. In fact, I, the train conductor, am facing a situation where the train is heading straight thus would kill five passengers in the train. However, there is a track going to the right which would help me divert the train hence help me avoid killing my five passengers but would kill one person who was standing on …show more content…
Thus, Kant would suggest me to not diver the train and just go straight because the Good Will would push me not to kill the innocent person standing on the right track, and also, obviously if I just let the train go straight I would have to include myself dying with those five people. For one thing, Kant’s moral theory requires us to follow the Categorical Imperative “We should act so as to treat every person as an end, and never merely (only) as a means” (Burnor & Raley, Ethical Choices). Kant means by that sentence that we should not use people as tools as they have their own goals and in this situation diverting the train to the right and killing one person means using that person to avoid killing five persons myself included. Hence, it would be better not to go the right and just let the train go straight instead, in Kant’s view. So, you can see that he is primarily concerned about what is most right and best to do thus do not really concentrate on the consequences it might engender and he would probably conclude that I should let the train go