Hypothetical imperative

Kant’s Categorical Imperative Immanuel Kant was a German philosopher remembered for his influence on ethics. Ethics is the philosophical study of moral actions. There are two particular ways of thinking regarding ethics: consequentialism and deontology. Consequentialism divides right and wrong entirely based on the consequences of an action - the end justifies the means. Deontology is the position arguing that consequences do not matter because moral judgement is based on the act alone, not the…

this essay I will critically analyse Kant’s idea that lying is intrinsically morally wrong; the truth, being an imperative, and to be dishonest, he considered, is a violation of the Categorical Imperative 1. I will explore Kant’s argument through his deontological moral theories found within Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Morals beginning with the moral norm - the “Categorical Imperative”, the “synthetic a priori position” 2, and its Formulations of Universal Law, End in Itself, Autonomy, and…

Among medical researchers as well as clinicians, the prevailing opinion is that it is unethical to mislead patients by prescribing a placebo. This belief has been sanctioned by a recent policy published by the American Medical Association. Although placebos can be shown to be always harmless, and frequently effective, physicians are now prohibited from administering them in medical practice. In the article “A Duty to Deceive: Placebos in Clinical Practice” by Bennett Foddy, he argues that the…

Kant’s Categorical Imperative According to Kant, we should always act according to the individual 's duty, not anticipating any consequences ahead. If each individual act accordingly, I believe that there will be less negative events occur and more positive outcomes. For example, sometimes doing negative things is wrong, such as lying. If we were to lie for a positive outcome, then it proves that if each individual act accordingly, then there will less negative outcome and it also proves that…

Moral saints can be compared to angels living on earth. Unfortunately, not everyone can be saints. In this essay, I agree with Wolf in saying that it is impossible to strive to be a moral saint. Everyone has different lives that demand different levels of morality from them. Wolf and Aristotle will support this thesis, while Kant and Mill will be offer the counter arguments. Our own conception of a moral saint is someone who acts selflessly for the good of the society. They sacrifice their own…

Singer doesn’t believe in absolute, unconditional true moral rules. He strongly rejects a morality based on absolute rules because he believes moral goal is more important than a moral rule. He thinks actions are adjustable according to the situation and in the end depends on what action is providing the most good. For example, Nazi Germany came to your door searching for Jew family. So you can lie to them to save innocent life. Though your action is based on lie but more important you have…

Buchanan argues against that enhancement is always wrong because it will change or destroy human nature by stating “I will argue that there is nothing wrong, per se, with altering human nature” (Buchanan, 142). Buchanan believes it will neither change nor destroy human nature by containing the “bad as well as good characteristics and there is no reason to believe that in every case eliminating some of the bad characteristics would so imperil the good ones” (Buchanan, 142). Therefore, altering…

I do not find that Hochswender persuaded me to believe that he is not “a bad person” (as cited in Muller and Wiener, 2015), since he drives an SUV. It appears that he has a strong argument. However, the ethical reasoning is faulty. The argument felt more like an emotional appeal because he talks about wanting his 9 year-old to be safe and about his family responsibilities. I can identify with these responsibilities. This argument tugs at my emotions, because it makes me think of my son. Even…

Summary of Adam Grant Adam Grant’s article, “Does Trying to Be Happy Make Us Unhappy,” discusses finding happiness. Grant’s thesis indicates that, trying to be happy will not make us happy. He evaluates an individual case by applying different happiness related theories. At the beginning, Adam Grant points out that searching out for happiness is not a correct way of persuading happiness. Instead, it will block you from finding true pleasures. Grant asserts that happiness is not measured in its…

Ethical Egoist: This person or entity is only concerned with his or her own good and tends not to keep in mind the consequences of his or her action on their environment. They will do everything possible to accomplish the best consequences for them. Liberalism: Each person is the owner of themselves. As individuals, each of us has the right to choose freely and to live our lives free from interference from others, provided the exercise of our rights does not interfere with others' rights to do…