Kants Humanity Formula - 1647 Words

Kant: The Humanity Formula Few formulas in philosophy have been so widely accepted and variously interpreted as Kants injunction to treat humanity as an end in itself(Hill, 38). Immanuel Kants views, as elucidated in his book, Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Morals, are based on the belief that people count by prohibiting actions which exploit other individuals in order for self-prosperity or altruistic ends. Ethics then, are confirmed by the dignity and worth of the rational agency of each person. Since human beings are the only rational beings capable of decision making and reasonable judgement, humanity must be valued. Kant proposes a test that ensures that humanity is treated with respect, and not used merely as an†¦show more content†¦Treating people only in ways to which they could consent, in so far as they are rational, not merely as means but also as an end, is a moral requirement. Say a young child has fallen onto a subway track and does not see the subway coming. You have the opport unity to alert the child of the oncoming train by grabbing a briefcase out of the hands of a man standing next to you and throwing it towards the child as to grab his or her attention. Kants theory holds that this action is morally permissible, assuming the man could rationally consent. The only downside to this is that the man must accept the minor inconvenience of having to buy a new briefcase and replacing the papers that were inside of the damaged one. What does this lead us to? Well some might question whether the man was treated respectively. The answer Kant offers for this is that he indeed was, seeing as how he only forfeited something one can attach a monetary value to, and as a result, saved a childs life. This brings us to Kants dignity versus price argument. Rational agents have a certain dignity that is incomparable to something with a price value. Above all, we should respect the value of our rationale. That which has dignity cannot be traded off for that which has price, and invariably, that which has dignity cannot be exchanged for other dignity values. A prime example of the latter part of argument is suicide inShow MoreRelated Kants Humanity Formula Essay1646 Words   |  7 PagesKants Humanity Formula   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"Few formulas in philosophy have been so widely accepted and variously interpreted as Kant’s injunction to treat humanity as an end in itself†(Hill, 38). Immanuel Kant’s views, as elucidated in his book, Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Morals, are based on the belief that â€Å"people count† by prohibiting actions which exploit other individuals in order for self-prosperity or altruistic ends. Ethics then, are confirmed by the dignity and worth of the rational agencyRead MoreKant And The Categorical Imperative1177 Words   |  5 Pagesidea he called categorical imperative, which are commands you must follow, regardless of your desires. In Kant’s view, the categorical imperative is the voice of our rational selves, it’s what we all truly believe when we’re thinking sensibly, it’s the rule of our own intelligence gives us. We will discuss two of Kant’s formulations; The Universalization Formulatio n and The Formula of Humanity and the problems attached to each. The first formulation known as The Universalization Formulation statesRead MoreThree Formulations of the Categorical Imperative Essay examples1516 Words   |  7 PagesIn Kant’s book, Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Morals, Kant talks about the three formulations of the categorical imperative. By these formulations, he describes his idea of organizing the moral principle for all rational beings. Kant also talks about the principles of humanity, rational ends, and the â€Å"realm of ends† which are constituted by the autonomous freedom of rational beings. The first formulation of the categorical imperative is â€Å"act only in a way the maxim of which can be consistentlyRead MoreKant s Categorical Imperative : The Formula Of Autonomy, And The Kingdom Of Ends1302 Words   |  6 Pages Kant’s Categorical Imperative changed the way many people view decision making and reasoning. Along with his theory, he also gave formulations in order to aid people in deciding whether a maxim leading to an action was moral. By applying these formulas, one has a better understanding of not only how decisions can affect moral law, but also an understanding of what sort of roles and powers humanity inherently possesses. There are four formulations: The Law of Nature, the Formula of Humanity, theRead MoreEssay on The Golden Rule in Kant and Mills Ethical Theories1320 Words   |  6 Pagesthat relate to human behaviour; with respect to their actions and purpose. The two most important philosophers that deal with ethics are Immanuel Kant and John S tuart Mill. Kant’s ethical theory is Kantianism or deontological ethics. Mill’s ethical theory is utilitarianism. Both philosophers’ theories have many differences; Kant’s theory deals with conduct, seeking reason for good action in duty. Mill’s theory deals with consequences and maximizing human happiness. However both Kant and Mill’s ethicsRead MoreThe Right to Lie by Christine Korsgaard1185 Words   |  5 Pagespermissible under one formulation of Kant’s categorical imperative yet not another. From this Korsgaard concludes that Kant’s formulations of Universal Law and of Humanity as an End in Itself are not equivalent, and that one is more strict than the other. In this paper I will present Korsgaards example and then use her interpretation of the Formulation of Universal Law to evaluate what it would prescribe as the correct responses to three additional cases. Under the Formula of Universal Law no maxim is permissibleRead MoreThe Trolley Problem Of The Monist1624 Words   |  7 Pagesinformed, intellectual application of his principles to The Trolley Problem and to determine the perspective Kant would most likely have. Shandon Guthrie interpreted Kant’s Categorical Imperative in The Examined Life On-Line Philosophy Journal. Guthrie begins with Kant’s concept of duty and good will in which Guthrie explains Kant’s thought of an unconditional obligation to do something for something else to occur, regardless of whether there will be credit awarded for the act or not (Guthrie 1)Read MoreJohn Stuart Mill s Utilitarianism And Immanuel Kant s Categorical Imperative1487 Words   |  6 Pagesasks questions of morality. There are a vast number of moral philosophies one can align themselves with, but two major categories of moral philosophy are the most popular and the most debated. These are John Stuart Mill’s Utilita rianism and Immanuel Kant’s Categorical Imperative. In looking at the three trolley cases, one can align themselves with either Mill, Kant or create their own perspective. Utilitarianism is defended by Mill in his writing entitled Utilitarianism. This method of decipheringRead MoreThe Universal Law Of Nature877 Words   |  4 PagesThe Formula of the Universal Law (of Nature) is the first formulation of the categorical imperative in Kant’s â€Å"Grounding for the Metaphysics of Morals,† in which he proposes to â€Å"act as if the maxim of your action were to become through your will a universal law of nature.† (Kant, 421) For example, telling the truth is considered a universal law. However, many skeptics argue that it is illogical because of human behavior, we as a society are put into dire situations in which lying is necessary toRead MoreSummary On Critique Of Practical Reason By Immanuel Kant1029 Words   |  5 Pagesmeans and ends, that humanity is a treated as an end in itself and never a means. This then transpires with the two types of imperatives: Hypothetical and Categorical. Hypothetical imperative is based on desi re, while categorical imperatives are based on just reason, regardless of the situation. Kant then gives us formulations to work out categorical imperatives. One being, the formula of Law and Nature, and the second being the formula of The Law of its End in itself. The formula of the Law of Nature