Categorical imperative

In this paper I will be discussing two opposing views on whether or not we, as people, possess moral responsibilities. The foundation of each view is rooted in the disposition of whether or not free will is a fact or a myth. I will begin with Hume’s stance, a sentimentalist stance, on moral responsibilities, going off of A Treatise of Human Nature, Book III: “Of Morals”. I present the claim that our relationship with other people is the foundation of moral responsibility. I will then present…

Metaethics. “A branch of analytic philosophy that explores the status, foundations, and scope of moral values, properties, and words” (DeLapp). Metaethics focuses on what morality is rather than what is moral. Four popular metaethical theories are Emotivism, Realism, Relativism, and Skepticism. This paper seeks to answer the question as to which metaethical theory is most plausible, which I argue is Skepticism. Emotivism: Emotivism stems from logical positivism. A thesis that the meaning of a…

John Stuart Mill and Utilitarianism: Utilitarianism is the moral theory that the best decision is the one that brings the greatest amount of good to the greatest amount of people. Utilitarianism focuses on the outcome and consequences of the decisions. It also focuses greatly on the fact that all persons should be considered equally, including oneself. So, an individual’s personal happiness counts toward the outcome as well, but no more than any other person. There are five elements used to…

In difficult times when the moral implications of one’s actions are unclear, ethical theories serve as a roadmap, guiding our moral compass and making more informed decisions. Two strongly opposing ethical theories which attempt to access the moral nature of individuals and their actions, are utilitarianism and kantian ethics. Founded by Jeremy Bentham, a 19th century social reformer and English philosopher, utilitarianism is a teleological ethical theory which focuses on the consequences of an…

In Ideas have consequences, Weaver states that among the most central notions which effect the course of are the considerations of whether there is a source of truth higher than and independent of man, whether or not universals exist, and whether knowledge is perceived mainly through the intellect or the senses . I would contend that the existence of independent truth is necessary to existence and for things to actually possess ethical qualities. From the consideration of the aim of ethics, it…

Ethics Are Not Relative W.T. Stace argues in favour of ethical absolutism - the principle that ethics are not relative. I will be arguing that this is indeed the case: ethics are not relative; morality is an absolute that, no matter how much it is meddled with to suit the needs of someone, will not change. Ethics is the study of a way of life and its values, including a system of general moral principles and the conception of morality and its foundations. Ethical relativism states that ethics…

Immanuel Kant’s interpretation of Copernicus in cosmology states that the latter observed movements not in the objects of the heavens but in their observer. In relation to this, Kant rejects the traditional theory that the subject must conform to the objects. In his Copernican Revolution, Kant introduced a way of thinking regarding the relation of the human mind to the objective world. A powerful method of moral reasoning is established as Kant explains how both rationalism and empiricism…

A major point raised in the article against the ALS ice bucket challenge was moral licensing, which can be defined in context as people feeling less obligated to donate if they have done so in the past. Within this notion, several questions can be raised, such as can the action of donating to a charity ever be truely unethical? And more specifically, Is it morally problematic if charitable donors believe they are doing more good than they actually are? The example used in the text is that…

• Question 1: According to Lewis in Book I Chapter 1, ‘The Law of Human Nature,’ how does he define the Law of Human Nature/Moral Law? And using examples from Lewis, how does he distinguish this law from other laws? In the beginning of Book 1 chapter 1 Lewis sets up an argument stating that the existence of a moral law is considerably based upon simple logic and reason. The establishment of this law forms two Very important purposes. First, it establishes that people tend to acknowledge through…

Argument Paper—Argument against Irrationality of Immorality Introduction: In this paper, I will first define the Kantian moral theory. Secondly, I will explain the opposition argument in detail; for a better understanding of Kant’s reasoning. Next, I will explain my disagreement against premise three in Kantian’s argument for the irrationality of immorality that states, “If you obey the principle of universalizability, then you act morally” (Shafer-Landau). Finally, I will close with my overall…