...Immanuel Kant was an eighteenth century German philosopher whose moral views continue to be influential. His ethical theory is based on a deontological point of view, where the act itself has moral value regardless of the consequences. Kant dismisses emotions such as pity and compassion as irrelevant to morality and thought that making a choice based on feelings or fulfilling our desires is irrelevant when making a morally correct decision. His beliefs oppose that of moral relativism, in which a morally good act is entirely dependant on the circumstances or culture in which it takes place, instead believing in the necessity of a perfectly universalisable moral law. A significant area of ethical study for Kant was the investigation into human reasoning. His views were in response to that of the empiricists and rationalists. The rationalists attempted to prove that we can understand the world purely be using our reasoning, on the other hand empiricists argued that all of our knowledge originates from experience. Although he thought that neither approach was entirely successful, his beliefs were more closely linked with those of the rationalists. He explained that we only have knowledge of the world as it appears to us through our senses, and that humans never know the true reality of the world as we experience it through our own minds, of which various categories of thought have been built into. Therefore our scientific knowledge is only of our own experiences and perceptions...
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...Due to this premise I feel as though it is not always right to do the duty that is expected. I also believe that if a duty is imposed on us, the fulfillment of that duty will not make us any more ethical. To explain my universalizability statement, Immanuel Kant believes that acting immorally is unreasonable because it is inconsistently unfair and unjust towards whomever it may have a negative impact on, even though that person may not know. According to Kant, an action is morally right if its maxim is universalizable. In which a maxim is a “principle of action you give yourself when you are about to do something” (162), and universalizable means that your acts of your maxim would be supported by everyone. According to Russ Shafer-Landau in The Fundamentals of Ethics, Kant believes that, “the morality of our actions has nothing to do with results. It has everything to do with our intentions and reasons for action, those are contained in the principle we live by” (163). Morality relies on people acting out with a good intention, but the action has to be universalizable, and if it is not, we are being inconsistent. Being inconsistent contradicts the reason of the action and therefore the immoral act is irrational. According to Russ Shafer-Landau in The Fundamentals of Ethics, “Kant thought all moral duties are categorical imperatives” (168), and “categorical imperatives are rational requirements that do not depend on what we care about” (168). If all our moral duties are categorical...
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...AS Philosophy & Ethics Course Handbook 2013 to 2014 [pic] OCR AS Level Religious Studies (H172) http://www.ocr.org.uk/qualifications/type/gce/hss/rs/index.aspx OCR AS Level Religious Studies (H172) You are studying Philosophy of Religion and Religious Ethics and will be awarded an OCR AS Level in Religious Studies. The modules and their weightings are: |AS: |Unit Code |Unit Title |% of AS |(% of A Level) | | |G571 |AS Philosophy of Religion |50% |(25%) | | |G572 |AS Religious Ethics |50% |(25%) | If you decide to study for the full A Level you will have to study the following modules at A2: |A2: |Unit Code |Unit Title |(% of A Level) | | |G581 |A2 Philosophy of Religion |(25%) | | |G582 |A2 Religious Ethics |(25%) | Grading | ...
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...this essay is that whether it is ethical for a company not to examine if they indirectly use the child labor. I will apply two ethical theories to this ethical dilemma, the Kantian ethics theory and the Utilitarianism theory. In the Kantian ethics theory, he says, “we should do the right thing regardless of reward or loss”, which is core ideas of his ethics theory. Furthermore, in his famous work Groundwork Metaphysics of Morality, he says, “Nothing is good in itself but the good will.” Additionally, in the Utilitarianism theory, it is roughly based on calculating or measuring benefits versus burdens. There are two core philosophers in the Utilitarianism theory, Jeremy Bentham and John Stuart Mill. I will explain this two theories and how the company fall into the dilemma as follows: Firstly, there is no doubt that it is an unethical matter. As for the Kantian ethics, he thinks there is no relationship between the purpose and ethics; whatever effect of the purpose is content, happy, or kind. We only can do the things with a good will rather than for a special goal. In this dilemma, Apple did not examine whether its suppliers use the child labor or not. However, what Kantian makes us to do is that we should be responsible for everything and we should act on our duties. The first formulation of the Kantian theory, according to the text, “ One’s act could become a universal law of human...
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...Ethics Essay - Rights to a child. 20th January AO1: Explain how a follower of Kantian ethics might approach the issues surrounding the right to a child. Immanuel Kant was a respected ethicist of the 18th Century. He is known mostly for his works on the ‘Groundwork of metaphysics of morals’ and it is within this work Kant proposes the Categorical Imperative, an absolute, deontological, objective and secular approach to making moral decisions. Kant’s theory is based on the principal that the only thing which is truly good is a good will or duty. He continues to say that we must endeavour to use our reason to ensure we have done our duty. This essay will use the principles of Kant’s ‘Categorical Imperative’ in order to display how a follower of Kantian ethics might approach the issues surrounding the right to a child. A Kantian ethicist would believe that desiring a child does not make it a right as any moral decision should be made through reason and based on duty alone - not through overwhelming emotion or desire. However, this still means women have negative rights to a child as the removal of the ability to have children cannot be universalised. And so they may therefore not be seen as having natural, human or positive rights to a child. There are many methods of having children for baron or single women, these methods surrounding a baron or single woman’s right to a child are IVF...
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...Moral and Ethics Name of the Student Institutional Affiliation Morals and Ethics Two of the most influential ethical theories that have been studied in this module include Mill’s Utilitarianism and Kant’s duty-based theory. The aim of this essay is to weigh each of these two ethical theories. The analysis conducted will then be used to determine which of the two theories is applicable in day-to-day life. An explanation for the belief will also be presented. Utilitarian theory of J. S. Mill Utilitarianism was initiated by John Stuart Mill. It refers to an essay that supports utilitarianism as a moral theory. It also responds to the various misconceptions that individuals have concerning utilitarianism. According to Mill, the principle behind utilitarianism is that actions are only right if they are aimed at bringing happiness and wrong if they result in the opposite of happiness (Mill, 2009). In his regard, Mill claims that happiness exists in the presence of pleasures and absence of pain. Pleasure differs in terms of quality and quantity. Some of the ways that count as one’s happiness include achievement of personal goals and virtuous living. Mill also claims that utilitarianism is a result of the various sentiments that are caused by the social nature of human beings. As such, a society that embraces utilitarianism as its ethic standard would be bound by such standards and morals that...
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...“Lifeboat Earth” the author, Onara O’Neill, a celebrated and world-renowned philosopher, takes a deontological approach towards the issue of global poverty and the moral responsibility of eradicating (deaths ensuing from) world hunger through famine relief aid extended by the First-World countries. An ardent supporter of Kantian ethics, as evidenced by the content of her papers and emphasis on duty as shall be discussed; O’Neill emphasizes and seeks answers as to the moral responsibility of those in well-to-do situations, to lessen the hardships faced by those that are worse off. In that, through means of drawing a parallel, in terms of a metaphor; she likens the earth to a lifeboat with limited resources, adrift at sea....
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...In this paper I want to focus on Virtue ethics and why I believe virtue ethics is the way to go when it comes down to personal and professional development in life and business. In personal/life development, virtue ethics transforms the paradigm of doing “what is right and wrong?” to a freedom of thinking in “what kind of person you are and does this action fit into what you are?”. Virtue ethics in personal development allows a dynamic way of thinking that allows a person to grow and learn that everything isn’t black and white as Kantian ethics suggest neither is it as dutiful as Utilitarian ethics. Virtue ethics in professional and business development allows for definition or a guiding light in a sense, in terms of question if your business is performing for your patients best interests if you’re in medicine or are you looking to provide a real solution for your prospects financial trouble and not stealing homes, if you’re in the buying real estate business. To explain and understand virtue ethics, you would first need to know Aristotle and understand his philosophies on virtuous society and what he considers virtuous behavior. Aristotle was an intelligent man being a student of Plato and teaching Alexander the Great. Aristotle’s written and spoken works were very serious and influential in subjects from logic to biology, meta physics to ethics and poetry that he was literally known to his colleagues as “The Philosopher”. With...
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...Oil in Equatorial Guinea? ExxonMobil’s, Amerada Hess’ and Marathon Oil’s actions, intentions and decisional consequences can be analyzed by utilitarianism, rights theory, and justice sub-theories and ideas, as the companies, governments and citizens are all affected. Utilitarianism focuses on the companies’ decisions’ consequences; rights theory zeroes in on if the companies maintain and respect relevant parties’ rights; and the justice ideas concentrate on the companies’ embracement of civil equality of liberties and justification of inequalities. A utilitarian may view the companies’ actions and consequences under four of utilitarianism’s characteristics: consequentialism, hedonism, minimalism, and universalism, as listed in a business ethics textbook (W. P. Kissick, Contemporary Utilitarianism 17-18). Firstly, and theoretically the most significant in context, as consequentialism involves decision validity, the three companies’ intentions matches this principle, for their main goal, the ultimate consequence, included helping West African countries produce $4 billion annual oil revenues. Additionally, as these companies acquired eighty percent of the annual oil revenues, while the majority of Equatorial Guinea’s population remained poor, and the companies claimed to invest in Equatorial Guinea’s social, educational and health institutions, a utilitarian may dismiss these controversial actions because he or she would feel as if these actions are justified by maximalist and universalist...
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...Western ethics is vastly influenced by Christian law-based ethics, which in turn gathered its legal ethical code from Judaism. As a result, as society's values have changed, the effectiveness of transcendent entities as rulers within law-based ethics to provide ethical agents with an obligation to obey the moral law has been brought into question. This essay will focus on Christian ethics, where 'transcendent entities' will refer to the Christian God, and 'law-based ethics' is the divine law set down by God within Christian scripture. To prove that God is necessary to provide ethical agents with a duty to follow the divine law, this essay will discuss God and humanity's nature, agents' need for a transcendent law-giver, the role that religion...
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...Integrating Values - The Legality, Morality, and Social Responsibility of the George Brothers & the Largest Pill Mills in South Florida Abstract This paper examines the legality and ethics of the George brother’s pain medication clinics in South Florida. It explains the legality of the pain medication supply that is available for consumers that medically need it and how its source can also be an easy access to addicts. Although it is considered legal, is it ethical? In this paper we study different theories in ethics, including Kantian and Utilitarian ethical models. These models provide clear analyses that guide us in deciding if pain medication distribution from pain clinics is ethical. Finally, we review and conclude if the George brother’s pain medication clinics were acting socially responsible within their communities. Given the rise of pain medication abuse and illegal reselling, pain clinics in South Florida should adhere to strict rules to provide services to those that need it and not turn their businesses into pill mills. Introduction Purposes of Paper The intent of this paper is to provide a detailed and analytical examination of the George brother’s pain medication clinics. Throughout this paper all approaches will be examined such as the legality and ethics of the case, and how social responsibility plays a role. In the past few years in South Florida, there has been a rise of pain medication addiction and the reselling of these narcotics. Pain...
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...Antonia Bravo Philosophy 112 Phase 1 11/02/2014 Taboo of Abortion: Who is right? The life of an embryo depends on differences in societies and cultures, along with morals and beliefs. However, these alone cannot prove when an embryo is actually a person. With a mixture of all, people determine how and when an embryo develops into a human being. Although the variety provides different insights, it also cause controversy amongst opponents. Thus the birth of pro-choice and pro-life is born, both competing on each side of the controversy of abortion. The taboo of abortion has gained national attention due to the nature and processes. Generally abortion is performed before twelve weeks gestation, or three months along in the pregnancy, but some do occur later in the pregnancy. The processes include removing the embryo from the uterus through a expansion of methods. These methods include: RU-486 which is a drug given to a woman after a missed menstrual period to deplete the nutrients of the uterine walls, and then again to allow the uterus to contract. Suction Aspiration acts as a vacuum cleaner to the uterus by breaking down and removing pieces of an embryo as well as the placenta. Dilation and Curettage formally known as D&C is similar to Suction Aspiration, but instead of suction the embryo and placenta are scrapped from the body and tossed. These are commonly performed by the twelve weeks stated earlier, however late term abortions are performed as well. These include:...
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...Gregory B. Sadler President and Founder, ReasonIO Ethics in Business Education Project Copyright Gregory B. Sadler, 2011 Goals and Scope of this Workshop Ethics can be complicated – in reality it often is Important to be clear and pragmatic about workshop Limited goal here: designed to help Business faculty with one specific skill/knowledge area Presumes only most basic knowledge about Ethics The Key Question: What Do You Need to Know To Assess Students’ Knowledge and Application of Ethical Theories? EB EP Copyright Gregory B. Sadler, 2011 What Do You Need to Know To Assess Students’ Knowledge and Application? You need basic understanding of each ethical theory You need to know what to look for in student responses You don’t need to be in agreement with any of these ethical theories You don’t need to know whether these theories are ultimately correct or not You don’t need to be concerned with other “big picture” issues, e.g. the origin of ethics EB EP Copyright Gregory B. Sadler, 2011 What We Are Going To Cover Five Ethical (families of) Theories Each articulates a particular perspective on good and bad, right and wrong Basic Principles / Key Terminology Important Variations in that family What to look for in student responses Knowledge of theory Application of theory EB EP Copyright Gregory B. Sadler, 2011 Five Theories Egoism the self and its needs Utilitarianism ...
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...Ship Wreck Ethics Life is all about the challenges you face and the choices you make. There are many situations where tough decisions need to be made and you must decide what is right, what is wrong, what is ethically sound, what is moral, or unmoral. But how does a person decide what is the “right” or “ethical” thing to do; especially when considering topics such as abortion, euthanasia, animal rights, or, in this case, the ship wreck. A brief synopsis of the situation; a ship wrecked in a remote area with no chance of help arriving soon. There are a 100 people in the water and 75 people in the only lifeboat available, which is meant to hold 50 people. There are men, women, and children, and a mix of old, young, rich, and poor. The 100 people in the water will drown if you do not put them in the boat and the boat will eventually sink because there are too many people in it. You are voted to be the leader based on your courage, intelligence, and experience with ethics and you must decide what to do, if you don’t, no one else will. How does an individual decide whom gets to stay in the boat, basically, who gets to live or die? To help make a decision on controversial issues, such as this one, there are many theories and standpoints to consider. A few of the theories and strategies that are going to be discussed are: Egoism, The Divine Command Theory, Utilitarianism, Kantian Ethics, and Natural Law. The main thesis of psychological egoism is that people either always act in...
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...responsible for the consequences of not acting, of failing to prevent something, will (always or sometimes) erode the idea of personal integrity? Is there any way to be a utilitarian and still respect the integrity of individuals? Integrity is the honesty and truthfulness or accuracy of one’s actions. Integrity regards internal consistency as a virtue. One may judge that others “have integrity” to the extent that they act according to the values, beliefs and principles they clam to hold. As Williams explains, the principal of utility undermines personal integrity. Utilitarianism focuses primarily on describing morally correct action, not necessarily virtue and character. Williams criticizes how utilitarianism specifies more than what it is for an action to be morally correct by specifying how an individual should think about moral decision. For example, individuals should think about which of the actions available would maximize general well-being and decide to act accordingly. Williams explains that utilitarianism recognizes no personal commitments, causes, or any other such related activities and any individual who tried to live as an utilitarian would not be able to live with integrity (Williams 1973). A utilitarian might argue that his identity-conferring commitments, which Williams argues would undermine his personal integrity, would have compliance with utilitarian principals. So, there would be no conflict between his integrity and utilitarianism because the latter would include...
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