In this light, the individual is given emphasis in the senses that, if one individual's life is compromised, say in order to find a cure for a disease; Kantian ethics would heavily oppose this approach. Utilitarianism, on the other hand would accept the measure.
Both Kant's moral principles and his theory of human nature are designed only to add to our discontent with ourselves. For Kant, the task of philosophy is not to reconcile us to the human condition. Kant thinks that as rational creatures our condition must be on our dissatisfaction, self alienation and endless striving. Philosophy should not try to transcend that condition, but only to help us live with its inevitability and more importantly, to make progress in the painful tasks it sets us. To some this aim may seem unhealthy, perhaps even dangerous. From a Kantian standpoint, however, any other way of representing our condition appears…...
mlaReferences
Allen Wood (1999) Kant's Ethical Thought. United Kingdom: Cambridge University Press.
The metaphysics of morals translated by Mary Gregor. (1991). Cambridge University Press.
Manfred Kuehn. (2001) Kant: A Biography. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Sebastian Gardner (1999) Kant and the Critique of Pure Reason. London: Routledge
Kantian Ethical Analysis
Introduction to Kantian Ethics.
Kantian ethics may depart from what Kant wrote and thought. Kantian ethics can criticize and modify the theory that Kant put forward as well as sympathetically interpret or defend it. Kant's ethics are contained in Kant's own writings: the Groundwork, the Critique of Practical eason, the Metaphysics of Morals, as well as others. Kantian ethics are the theory that Kant himself put forward, the fundamental principle of morality as he formulated it, the system of duties as he presented it, and the moral conclusions he thought (Wood 2007). When thinking or interpreting Kant's ethics, we are interpreting his theory, illustrating how its parts are meant to fit together, relating it to Kant's philosophy in entirety.
Kantian ethics is based upon Kant's theories. According to Kant, the concept of "motive" is the most important factor in determining what is ethical -- or what is not ethical. More…...
mlaReferences:
Bowie, N.E. (1999). Business Ethics: A Kantian Perspective. Oxford: Blackwell
Publishers.
Cavico, Frank J. & Mujtaba, Bahaudin. (2004). Business Ethics. Pearson Custom
Publishing; 1st edition.
Powell points to the fact that "in Georgia, for example, the time between the date of the murder and the murderer's execution (if it occurs) averages close to I0 years 25 Although the average lapsed time in Georgia may be the highest, the same situation generally prevails in a number of other states. No one would suggest that this is satisfactory." (Powell, 1038)
Indeed, according to Calvert (1993) it demonstrates a process which is crowded with rational causes to delay in the implementation, primarily because the application of the death penalty is so difficult to evaluate ethically. The degree of doubt which has been cast upon the efficiency, fairness or consistency of the death penalty is sufficient to warrant an inquiry on its ethical rationality. In many ways, those perspectives which have supported its unquestioned usage tend to align philosophically with authoritarian state structures, connectivity between the legitimacy of state…...
mlaReferences:
Bedau, H.A. (1983). Bentham's Utilitarian Critique of the Death Penalty. The Journal of Criminal Law and Criminology, 74(3), 1033-1065. Retrieved November 8, 2009, from http://www.jstor.org/stable/1143143
Brudner, A. (1980). Retributivism and the Death Penalty. The University of Toronto Law Journal, 30(4), 337-355. Retrieved November 08, 2009, from http://www.jstor.org/stable/825562
Calvert, B. (1993). Locke on Punishment and the Death Penalty. Philosophy, 68(264), 211-229. Retrieved November 07, 2009, from http://www.jstor.org/stable/3751163
Capital Punishment. (11,1950). The British Medical Journal, 1(4649), 365-369. Retrieved November 08, 2009, from http://www.jstor.org/stable/25375103
Introduction
Kantian ethics, developed by Immanuel Kant, is a philosophical theory that emphasizes the importance of moral principles and individual autonomy. The Emperor Club, a 2002 film directed by Michael Hoffman, provides a thought-provoking exploration of Kantian ethics through its portrayal of a dedicated teacher and his students at an elite preparatory school.
The film follows the story of William Hundert, a passionate Classics teacher at St. Benedict's School for Boys, who becomes entangled in a moral dilemma when a charming but manipulative student, Sedgewick Bell, disrupts the integrity of the prestigious Emperor Club, a oman history competition that Hundert organizes annually. As the film unfolds, viewers are confronted with questions about the nature of morality, responsibility, and integrity.
Kantian ethics, with its emphasis on rationality and duty, provides a compelling framework for analyzing the characters' choices and motivations in Emperor Club. The film raises important philosophical questions about the role of personal…...
mlaReferences
Kant, Immanuel. \"Grounding for the Metaphysics of Morals.\" Translated by James W. Ellington, Hackett Publishing Company, 1981.
Kant, Immanuel. \"Critique of Practical Reason.\" Translated by Lewis White Beck, Macmillan, 1956.
Simon, Mark. \"The Role of Intent in Ethical Decision Making: The Ethical Choice Model.\" \"Journal of Business Ethics,\" vol. 131, no. 3, 2015, pp. 497-515.
Annas, Julia. \"Virtue Ethics and the Charge of Egoism.\" \"Philosophy and Phenomenological Research,\" vol. 53, no. 4, 1993, pp. 799-817.
prostitution is a dirty word. Yet governments support it and benefit from it. This paper discusses prostitution in light of Kantian ethics and Mill's utilitarianism.
MOAL PINCIPLES:
UTILITAIANISM vs. KANTIAN ETHICS
To every decision there are always two sides attached; one that advocates an absolute standard and the other that questions this standard. Similarly when faced by a moral dilemma, one solution is to do in accordance with absolute moral standards and the other is to weigh the consequences and do in accordance with them. The first allows the assurance that the decision will be absolutely correct in terms absolute morality; however it may harm the parties involved. The second practice ensures that once the consequences are weighed and judged and the decision acted upon, it is going to benefit more people but would harm some. However in event of the second choice, there is no assurance that the decision is morally…...
mlaReferences
Author Not Available. Prostitution. Asiaweek: February 7, 1997
Lambert, Bruce. AIDS in Prostitutes, Not as Prevalent as Believed, Studies Find; New York Times: September 20, 1988.
Saikaew, Ladda. The Report on Child Prostitution as a Form of Forced Labor: A Non-Governmental Organization Perspective. Office of Publications; Department of Labor, 1997.
Ethical Frameworks: Case Scenario
This week’s case scenario involves Jenna, who has just been hired as a new recruiter at a large staffing agency. Her trainer advises her to tell candidates that the organization will get back to them within two weeks of an interview date. However, Jenna is concerned that the agency does not live up to this promise and rarely gets back to candidates. She feels that lying to candidates is unethical as she too would not like to be lied to.
The Kantian duty ethical framework applies best to the current scenario. Kantian ethics emphasizes the idea that all people have a duty to act in a certain way and are required to act in line with this duty even when acting so is not in their best interest (Schulzke, 2012). Kantian ethics is based on the categorical imperative, which requires individuals to act a certain way only if…...
mlaReferences
Budd, J. W., & Scoville, J. G. (Eds.) (2015). The Ethics of Human Resources and Industrial Relations. Champaign, IL: Cornell University Press.Geiger, I. (2015). How are the Different Formulas of the Categorical Imperative Related? Kantian Review, 20(3), 395-419.Schulzke, M. (2012). Kant’s Categorical Imperative, the Value of Respect, and the Treatment of Women. Journal of Military Ethics, 11(1), 26-41.
There are several ways that BP could have chosen to respond, all of which were "open" to them (i.e. they had free will), yet those chose to take paths that were less moral. Kant's universal law would have them put their responsibility to humanity as the motivator, however, their motives have not proven to be driven by doing what is genuinely good for humanity.
Blackburn (2009) states that it is tricky to apply the categorical imperative and that the most persuasive examples of it being effective are in cases where there is an institution whose existence depends on sufficient performance by a sufficient number of individuals.
Suppose, as is plausible, that our ability to give and receive promises depends upon general compliance with the principle of keeping promises. Were we to break them sufficiently often, or were promise-breaking to become a 'law of nature,' then there would be no such thing…...
mlaReferences:
Blackburn, S. (2009). Ethics: A very short introduction. New York: Oxford University Press.
Kant, I. (2010). Groundwork of the metaphysic morals. Trans H.J. Paton. Introduction philosophy: Classical and contemporary readings. Eds. John Perry, Michael Bratman,
and John Martin Fischer. (5th edition). New York: Oxford. 504-20.
Lyon, Susan. (2010). Climate Progress. Retrieved on August 24, 2010, from the Web site:
Contemporary agency theory dictates that managers only act in the interest of maximizing shareholder (owner) wealth (Roberts, 2004). This standard can be reasonably viewed as the minimum ethical standard that the president of a company should have. Taking this view, Thomas Koltun is essentially in damage control mode. Because of the mistakes of the company in the past, Koltun is faced with significant downside risk from mishandling this situation. It could also be reasonably argued that Thomas Koltun still bears responsibility for the original ethical imperatives that the company has had all along as the result of bringing the Travel-Lite to market. If three-quarters of these products are as yet unaccounted for, then the company still bears ethical obligations as defined by the CPSC with regards in particular to consumers.
There are serious implications associated with a mishandling of these obligations. The company has suffered ethical failures in relation to its…...
mlaWorks Cited:
Health Canada. (2005). Recalling consumer products -- a guide for industry. Health Canada. Retrieved April 26, 2010 from http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/cps-spc/advisories-avis/child-enfant/recalling-guide-2005-04-rappel-eng.php
Rose, J. (2007). Communication styles. Suite 101. Retrieved April 26, 2010 from http://trainingpd.suite101.com/article.cfm/communication_styles
Johnson, R. (2008). Kant's moral philosophy. Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. Retrieved April 26, 2010 from http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/kant-moral/
Sinnott-Armstrong, W. (2006). Consequentialism. Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. Retrieved April 26, 2010 from http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/consequentialism/
Ethics is a grey area in many instances within the medical community. Ethical codes help by providing guidance that allow for professional judgment or discretion and the idiosyncratic nature surrounding ethical dilemmas. As mentioned in the first lecture concerning ethics, ethics is mostly observed as being a serious reflective activity essentially concerned with a methodical inspection of the ethical life (Callaghan & yan, 2012). It is intended to illuminate what should be done by asking to consider and reconsider ordinary justification, actions, and judgments.
In the case study, Wayne became afraid to tell anyone anything. Nurses did not know his condition and he was acting in a way that was violent. Medical staff that tended to him saw him as either mentally ill or anti-social. It seemed he was both. In the end, he was able to talk to a psychiatrist, one that he talked to before. He felt confident to…...
mlaReferences
Allnutt, S., & Chaplow, D. (2000). General principles of forensic report writing.Aust Psychiatry, 34(6), 980-987. http://dx.doi.org/10.1046/j.1440-1614.2000.00834.x
Callaghan, S., & Ryan, C. (2012). Rising to the human rights challenge in compulsory treatment - new approaches to mental health law in Australia.Australian And New Zealand Journal Of Psychiatry, 46(7), 611-620. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0004867412438872
EMANUEL, L. (2000). Ethics and the Structures of Healthcare. Cambridge Q. Healthcare Ethics, 9(02). http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0963180100902032
Fins, J., Miller, F., & Bacchetta, M. (1997). Clinical Pragmatism: A Method of Moral Problem Solving. Kennedy Institute Of Ethics Journal, 7(2), 129-143. http://dx.doi.org/10.1353/ken.1997.0013
Emperor's Club: Kantian, utilitarian, and Aristotelian views
According to Kantian ethical principles, Mr. Hundert should have allowed the grades of his four students to remain as they were, and not altered them. A Kantian ethical schema suggests that a person should behave as if he is setting a law for all time, not merely reacting to the specifics of a situation. A Kantian philosopher would say teachers cannot subjectively change grades simply because they believe that a particular student emotionally 'needs' to win more than another student. Hundert allowed his personal feelings for Bell and Bell's improvement as a student to influence his decision-making, and hurt another student in the process. However, from a utilitarian standpoint, by showing Bell the importance of hard work and moral activity, a great service is done to society because Bell is the child of a powerful man, and will likely grow up to be…...
right, a legal right, a moral right, a human right. How are they related?
ights are privileges or entitlements to perform particular actions, or to be in particular state/situations; or privileges/entitlements to carry out certain actions or be in particular states. ights are the cornerstone of the modern comprehension of what actions are allowed or permissible and which institutions are fair and just. ights structure the content of laws, the form of governments, and shape morality as it is currently viewed (Wenar, 2005).
A legal right
Legal rights are rights which exist under the constitutions and laws of legal systems or by the virtue of decisions by the appropriate legal authorities (Campbell, 2001).
A human right
Human rights have been defined in many circles as essential moral guarantees that people and cultures in all countries apparently have for the simple reason that they are human beings. Thus human rights are often held to be…...
mlaReferences
Campbell, K. (2001, December 20). Legal Rights. Retrieved July 16, 2015, from http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/legal-rights/
CHAPTER THREE: The Market and Business (n.d.). Retrieved July 17, 2015 from www.institutobios.org/velazquezch3.doc
Morality. (n.d.). Retrieved July 17, 2015, from from http://legal-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/right http://www.allaboutphilosophy.org/morality.ht
Nickel, J.W. (1987). Making sense of human rights: Philosophical reflections on the universal declaration of human rights. Univ of California Press.
Bioethics
Ethical Evaluation of Dr. Pou
Ethical Evaluation of Mrs. Everett's Claims
Gert's two-step process Evaluation of Dr. Pou
Nursing Ethics in Emergency
Ethical Evaluation of Dr. Pou
From the contents of the article and the actions and the explanations given by Dr. Pou, it is clearly evident that the Kantian theory of ethics was followed by the doctor while she euthanized the seriously ill patients.
The Kantian theory of ethics was propounded by German philosopher Immanuel Kant which states that the will or intention behind an action is the sole judge of the morality of the action and morality is not influenced by the outcome or the results. The theory essentially emphasis the principles that are followed behind actions and influence the actions and not the end result of the actions. The universal principles that treat everyone equally is the motivating factor for acting according to this theory. Animal instincts are overcome when one is motivated…...
mlaReferences
Bonhoeffer, Dietrich, Clifford J Green, Reinhard Krauss, Charles C West, and Douglas W Stott. Ethics. Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 2005.
Boylan, Michael. Basic Ethics. Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Prentice Hall, 2000.
Everson, Stephen. Ethics. Cambridge [England]: Cambridge University Press, 1998.
Hallgarth, Matthew W. Bernard Gert's Theory Of Moral Rules And American Professional Military Ethics, 2003.
Deontological theory might criticize Guido's choice if the initial assumptions included the rule prohibiting lying. However, deontological analysis is only as useful as the underlying rules with respect to which it is applied. Therefore, the solution to the deontological issues raised by the issue presented by the movie is simply to reformulate a less restrictive rule that is incapable of being applied to every situation. Instead of proposing the rule that prohibits lying, the better rule might be to prohibit only lying for immoral purposes.
In fact, the blind adherence to rules under deontological principles often produces distinctly immoral results: it is difficult to imagine the moral purpose of informing a dying patient that a loved one was also killed in the same accident; nor is there a moral purpose for informing a child who is to young to understand the concept that he was adopted. In Guido's case, the sole…...
Ethics, Morality, Values, And Beliefs
According to "the ethics site," an Internet resource for college instructors regarding the teaching of different ethical systems, ethics may be defined as "the explicit, philosophical reflection on moral beliefs and practices. The difference between ethics and morality is similar to the difference between musicology and music. Ethics is a conscious stepping back and reflecting on morality, just as musicology is a conscious reflection on music." ("Glossary," The Ethics Site, 2005) In other words, ethics is the philosophy of what is right and wrong, while morality is the practice of ethics, or virtue in action.
The analogy between a musician and a musicologist proposed by the positioning of ethics vs. morality is interesting, because one might understand music very well, and be able to explain its theory and teaching as a musicologist. However, a great musicologist might be only a middling musician. In contrast, there are sixteen-year-olds…...
mlaWork Cited
"Glossary." The Ethics Site. 2005. [11 Feb 2005]http://ethics.acusd.edu/LMH/E2/Glossary.html.
Ethics
Consider the three purposes of morality treated in Chapter 1. Which of these would it be easier for utilitarianism to fulfill and which could well be more difficult for that system to fully meet?
Of the three purposes of morality treated in Chapter One, perhaps the easiest purpose for the ethical system of utilitarianism, as developed by the Englishman Jeremy Bentham, to meet would be to create a functional system of social ethics, or the ethical schema that holds a society together by its ethical 'glue.' Utilitarianism suggests that society, when pressed on many sides by the competition of different ethical claims, or even simply by different but equally valid claims for personal happiness, should choose the truth claim that allows for the greatest good for the greatest number of individuals within that particular society. For instance, the happiness of the many in my neighborhood to sleep late at night outweighs…...
Cultivating a Sense of Collective Responsibility
To prioritize the common good, individuals must cultivate a heightened sense of responsibility towards the well-being of their community and society as a whole. This involves recognizing that individual actions have far-reaching consequences and that pursuing narrow self-interests at the expense of others is ultimately detrimental to all.
Emphasizing Shared Values and Principles
Shared values and principles provide a moral compass that guides individuals towards decisions that benefit the greater good. These values may include empathy, compassion, fairness, and respect for human dignity. By aligning personal choices with such principles, individuals can overcome the temptation to prioritize....
The principles of philosophical ethics can influence the theological beliefs and practices of Christianity in several ways. Firstly, philosophical ethics can provide a framework for understanding and evaluating moral principles and values, which can in turn shape how Christians understand and interpret the teachings of their faith. For example, ethical theories such as utilitarianism or virtue ethics can provide different perspectives on how to approach moral dilemmas and make ethical decisions, which can inform how Christians understand their own ethical responsibilities in light of their theological beliefs.
Secondly, philosophical ethics can also influence the development of theological doctrines within Christianity. For....
Philosophical Ethics and Christian Theology: Enhancing Understanding
Philosophical ethics and Christian theology, two seemingly distinct disciplines, offer profound insights into human morality and the nature of the divine. By engaging with philosophical ethics, Christian theologians can deepen their understanding of ethical principles, foster critical reflection, and enrich their theological formulations.
Unveiling Moral Principles
Philosophical ethics provides a systematic framework for examining ethical principles. Theories such as utilitarianism, Kantian deontology, and virtue ethics offer criteria for assessing actions and intentions. By studying these theories, theologians can develop a clearer understanding of the moral foundations of Christian teachings. For instance, the principle of universalizability in....
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