...QUEEN OF APOSTLES PHILOSOPHY CENTRE JINJA (PCJ) CRITIQUE OF THE NOTION OF AUTONOMY IN KANT’S MORAL PHILOSOPHY AN UNDER GRADUATE DISSERTATION SUBMITTED TO THE INSTITUTE OF ETHICS AND DEVELOPMENT STUDIES OF UGANDA MARTYRS UNIVERSITY (UMU) NKOZI, IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF BACHELOR OF ARTS IN PHILOSOPHY BISIMWA MUNYALI EVARISTE MARCH 2011 1 DEDICACE This work is dedicated in a special way to: My ever loving and caring God, My family and the community of the Missionaries of Africa. 2 DECLARATION I………………………………………………………..have read the rules of Uganda Martyrs University on plagiarism and hereby state that this work is my own. It has not been submitted anywhere else for any qualification. I have acknowledged the secondary sources used in this work. NAME OF STUDENT…………………………………………………………. SIGNATURE…………………………………………………………………… DATE: …………………………………………………………………………… SUPERVISOR………………………………………………………………….. SIGNATURE…………………………………………………………………… DATE: ………………………………………………………………………….. 3 ABSTRACT The importance of a philosophical study dealing with moral issues, especially the principle of autonomy is indisputably great. It is a common agreement that morality is located within the scope of duty. Kant corroborates this held agreement by stating the categorical imperative which every human is obliged to act upon. He conceived this categorical imperative as the moral law which all those who claim to be moral beings have to live on. However, he also affirmed...
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...MMPU2312 The morality of Ethics January – March 2015 Semester Topic: Way to improve moral, Morality and ethics in the society. Group member Ooi Tze Ee B1504101010 Kor Haw zhi B1504101017 Lim Chun Khai B1504103005 Leslie Lim Teik B1504102001 Wei Chan Yong Han B1504101001 Low Yan Shen B1504103008 Lecturer: Mr Eric Shaun Table of content No. | Contents | Page | 1. | Introduction | 3 | 2. | Definition of morality, ethics and philosophy | 4-5 | 3. | Case Study: GangsterismBullyingExample : | 5-6 | 4. | Factors that cause gangsterism | 7 | 5. | Problem Solving | 8 | 6. | Conclusions | 9 | 7. | References | 10 | Introduction The Morality of Ethics is very important for everyone at everywhere in daily life. We will know about the way to improve morals, morality and ethics in society through this assignment. Moral values can give meaning and purpose to our life. Nowadays, the place that we live has happened a lot of problem and case. These kind of case will happen because of the person who did that lack of morality. With increasing frequency, activities in our society raise the question of what sort of morality is guiding our people. Moral values are internal, social values are external. Morality is pp Without moral norms human society would perish. It is the moral code which controls the individual so that he or she does what the group believes he or she should. So, we need to help other person and improve our morality to decrease...
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...Immanuel Kant adheres to Deontological ethics. His theory offers a view of morality based on the principle of good will and duty. According to him, people can perform good actions solely by good intentions without any considerations to consequences. In addition, one must follow the laws and the categorical imperative in order to act in accordance with and from duty. Several other philosophers such as Hannah Arendt discuss Kant’s moral philosophy. In her case study: “The Accused and Duties of a Law-Abiding Citizen”, Arendt examines how Adolf Eichmann’s actions conformed to Kant’s moral precepts but also how they ran of afoul to his conception of duty. In contrast, John Stuart Mill adopts a teleological view of moral philosophy. He exposes his view of consequentialism and utilitarianism to argue that an action is morally right only to the extent that it maximizes the aggregate happiness of all parties involved regardless of the motive. In the present paper, I will expose Kant’s moral precepts and the importance of duty in his Deontological principles. Then, I will evaluate Arendt’s report on Adolf Eichmann to analyze the ways in which his actions were in accordance to or against Kant’s moral philosophy. I will conclude my discussion with an evaluation of Mill’s approach to morality in order to examine the differences between his teleological philosophy and Kant’s ethical principles. Kant’s moral philosophy is based on the categorical imperative (CI), good will, and duty. According...
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...irony that Dorian exhibited in his life. In pursuing aestheticism—a philosophy based in the simplistic beauty of things—the pursuer may, in the end and without notice, emerge uglier than ever before. Dorian, the once wide-eyed innocent, buckles and caves in to depravity while practicing an aesthetic lifestyle, despite the beauty that such a life idea claims. I began to wonder what Oscar Wilde intended to convey with his portrayal of the Aesthetic Movement incarnate and its often harsh consequences, especially given the well-documented involvement of Wilde in promoting aestheticism in his contemporary society. The juxtaposition of Wilde’s support for the Aesthetic Movement with Dorian’s corruption at the hands of it provided a great jumping-off point and a lingering question with which to begin an essay. What exactly is Wilde’s view of aestheticism when one bears in mind the story of Dorian Gray? In writing my essay, I realized Wilde’s outlook is not as straightforward as it may first appear. Throughout the writing process, a difficult task I faced was to encapsulate the aesthetic position when the philosophy often meant different things to different people. In researching the movement, I found that the moral philosophies of various proponents of aestheticism often varied and, thus, it became difficult to nail down the aesthetic tenets and apply them to Dorian Gray. In retrospect, some observations about the philosophy may, consequently, appear too generalized. I was also challenged...
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...Jennifer Cooper The Reflections of Life’s Existence PHIL201 –Introduction to Philosophy July 31, 2014 Abstract The discussion of life’s questions is not easy. Philosophers use many points to prove their arguments. The debates of how and why we make our decisions will go on as long as we are around to research ourselves. Philosophers use metaphysics to study the world around us using science and knowledge. Epistemology is the study of how we gather knowledge and how it is trusted. Ethics is the framework by which people make decisions of right and wrong. Ethics also deals with individual, social, and cultural moralities. The Reflections of Life’s Existence Introduction Why do we care about the meaning of life? Do we need to ponder questions about our existence in order to be happy? Scientists and philosophers have pondered these questions and tried to find answers to concerns about free will and do we have a soul. They also have deliberated about how reason effects our decisions and if ethics plays a role in how humans interact. Do people with higher morals make for happier people? Metaphysics: What is real and how do we know the correct reality? Metaphysics is the study of reality and how we understand the world around us explained using science and reason. Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy (IEP) explains (n.d.) Aristotle believed that we perceive our world around us with our eyes. We are visual creatures. That is why sight is so important and...
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...government in which a single ruler is vested with absolute power. arbitrary or unrestrained exercise of power; despotic abuse of authority. Absolutism – political system: a political system in which the power of a ruler is unchecked and absolute theory of objective values: a philosophical theory in which values such as truth or morality are absolute and not conditional upon human perception something absolute: a standard, principle, or theory that is absolute Utilitarianism: ethical doctrine of greatest good: the ethical doctrine that the greatest happiness of the greatest number should be the criterion of the virtue of action doctrine based on value of usefulness: the doctrine that the value of an action or an object lies in usefulness utilitarian quality: the quality of being designed primarily for practical use rather than beauty Libertarianism: advocate of individual responsibility: somebody who believes in the doctrine of free will advocate of individual freedom: somebody who believes in the principle that people should have complete freedom of thought and action Categorical Imperative: Kantian moral law: according to the moral philosophy of Immanuel Kant, an unconditional moral law applying to all rational beings and independent of all personal desires and motives Communism: Class less political system: the political theory or system in which all property and wealth is owned in a classless society by all the members of that society Socialism: political system...
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...Taylor Dordick Philosophy 320.19 December 11, 2013 Final Question 3 Friedrich Nietzsche and Hannah Arendt both wrote extensively about the foundations of moral philosophy and the formation of the ethical self. Nietzsche, in “On the Genealogy of Morals”, centers his own moral philosophy on the concept of a supra moral individual, which he specifically defines in terms of someone who is effectively free and sovereign, not bound by the bourgeois “morality of custom”. Defined as acting autonomously, capable of “measuring value” and being “entitled to make promises”, such an individual gains the cherished freedom of “responsibility” which is ultimately internalized as “conscience”. Arendt, in “Responsibility and Judgment”, focuses on the notion of a moral individual who is in “harmony” with his or herself, a state of mind that is gained from independently considering and arriving at fundamental moral guidelines. Like Nietzsche, Arendt asserts that moral beliefs and decisions must stem from this sense of internal harmony and justice, as opposed to simple obedience to demands imposed from outside. However, Arendt anchors her own portrayal of moral autonomy in more Kantian terms of a categorical imperative and ultimately a sense of dignity and self respect that derives from acting with conscience. Nietzsche begins his second essay titled “‘Guilt’, ‘Bad Conscience’, and Related Matters”, with a mixture of observation and sarcastic wit, “The breeding of an animal which is entitled to...
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...Morality (from the Latin moralitas "manner, character, proper behavior") is the differentiation of intentions, decisions, and actions between those that are distinguished as proper and those that are improper.[1] Morality can be a body of standards or principles derived from acode of conduct from a particular philosophy, religion, or culture, or it can derive from a standard that a person believes should be universal.[2] Morality may also be specifically synonymous with "goodness" or "rightness." Moral philosophy includes moral ontology, or the origin of morals, as well as moral epistemology, or knowledge about morals. Different systems of expressing morality have been proposed, including deontological ethical systems which adhere to a set of established rules, and normative ethical systems which consider the merits of actions themselves. An example of normative ethical philosophy is the Golden Rule, which states that: "One should treat others as one would like others to treat oneself."[3] Immorality is the active opposition to morality (i.e. opposition to that which is good or right), while amorality is variously defined as an unawareness of, indifference toward, or disbelief in any set of moral standards or principles. An initial naïve attempt at a descriptive definition of “morality” might take it to refer to the most important code of conduct put forward by a society and accepted by the members of that society. But the existence of large and heterogeneous societies raises...
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...statement that “literature is the question minus the answer”, a reader can find that the central question posed by Shakespeare’s King Lear concerns morality. More specifically, King Lear’s treatment of the question of whether a moral life is necessarily a better life is brought out in the juxtaposition of the characters Edmund and Cordelia, and the universality of King Lear explored through the modern philosophies associated with each. One of the most polarized characters of the play, Edmund is a character willing to commit heinous deeds like framing his own brother, arranging the murder of his own brother and committing adultery with Goneril and Regan. Rather than trying to please the Gods with morally sound actions, he instead calls for them to “stand up” for “bastards” like him who are earning a place in society through trickery and deceit. Until his death looms over him, Edmund remains unashamedly unrepentant of his behavior and seems almost proud of his lack of moral fiber. Unfortunately for Edmund, he dies of a mortal wound before he can reap the benefits of his conniving, rendering all his efforts for naught. The least morally sound character is therefore unsuccessful in his endeavors and dies at a young age, proving that living a morally un-sound life does little for Edmund. In contrast, Cordelia adheres to the prescribed morality and benevolent behavior. She is the only daughter who does not forsake her father, even though Lear himself admits that Cordelia has “some cause”...
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...Introduction This paper explores three philosophical issues. The concepts examined are personal identity, virtue ethics, and ethical relativism. A personal philosophy in relation to each concept is identified and described. In conclusion, philosophical findings are incorporated into a personal view on the ultimate meaning of life. Philosophical Issues Personal Identity Personal identity of the most basic nature is “what makes one the person one is” (Olson, 2010). This basic nature then leads to the complexities of personal identity. Complexities include questions such as: * Who am I? * What is it to be a person? * What does it take for a person to persist from one time to another – that is, for the same person to exist at different times? * How do we find out who is who? * What am I? * How could I have been? * How different could I have been from the way I actually am? (2010) These questions are crucial to discovering self-purpose of life. Hume’s philosophy is that personal identity is “nothing but a bundle or collection of different perceptions” and “too inconstant” (n.d.). Several philosophers disagree, arguing that “when the soul and the body are united, then nature orders the soul to rule and govern, and the body to obey and serve” (Chaffee, 2011, p. 91). There are many theories of philosophy pertaining to personal identity and social identity. In most cases, the compulsion to rationalize identity by understanding and knowing who we are and...
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...Religion Can Morality Exist Without Religion? | | Rajoo Kamal-Wilnoff (10781867)Sociology 321.3, Section X01Professor Bryan PukMay 28, 2014 | “Never let your sense of morals get in the way of doing what’s right.” – Isaac Asimov | Can We Be Good Without God? Can we be good without God? The question has been a controversial one throughout history and a variety of positions are apparent regarding the relationship between religion and morality. Theists undoubtedly find in God a source of moral strength and resolve which enables them to live lives that are better than those that they would live without Him, but it would seem arrogant and ignorant to claim that those who do not share a belief in God do not often live good moral lives. Should the question really be about the objectivity of moral values, and whether said moral values are simply social conventions, or mere expressions of personal preference? Are they valid independently of our apprehension of them, and if so, what is their foundation? Moreover, if morality is just a human convention, then why should we act morally, especially when it conflicts with self-interest? Are we in some way held accountable for our moral decisions and actions? This paper explores the ontological claim that the morality does not require religion, religious motivation or guidance to exist, based on the opposing views presented in two essays “Religion, Morality and Conscience” (1996), by John Arthur, professor of philosophy at New York...
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...Mulemwa M. Bruce – 26113171. UNZA – 2009. PHILOSOPHY – ETHICS This essay is an endeavor to clarify, outline, explain and critically discuss the strengths and weaknesses of moral relativism. Every choice we make is due to each person’s individual morality and rationality. In this view, Norman (1988: 188) contends that, “Morality is premised on the assumption of individual responsibility.” Morality is concerned with the free choice of rational human beings, and not the non-rational. Louis (2002:28) further adds that morality, “Is just the set of common rules, habbits, and customs that have won social approval over time so that they seem part of things, like facts.” Moral relativism shows that there are no absolute moral rules and each situation needs to be examined individually. Therefore moral relativism is the belief that morality does not relate to any absolute standards of right and wrong but good and bad are dependent on culture and circumstance or judgment paradigm. Thus different moral truths hold for different people from society to society or at different periods in time. The fact that some people see moral relativism as an obvious truth which is undeniable needs no preamble. Needless to mention, others perceive moral relativism as threatening to the moral foundation on which society is founded. According to moral relativists there is nothing that is absolutely, invariably right or wrong, and there is no universal standard by which to measure our character or...
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...Philosophy Exam * When is a deductive argument conclusive? All the premises are true, No fallacies are committed, and it is valid. Which of the following is one of the criteria a deductive argument must meet in order to be conclusive (good)? -the argument must be valid * What are the 3 criteria that must be met for an appeal to experts to be legitimate? 1. Must be an expert in the relevant field, expertise on the issue 2. Consensus of experts in the field must agree. 3.Expert must be liable and agreeable, reliable and credible Suppose you decide to appeal to experts to answer a question. Which of the following is NOT one of the three criteria discussed in class that must be met for your appeal to authority to be likely to get you the truth? -the expert appealed to must have published work in the field. * What are the ways discussed in class to determine what the consensus of experts believe about an issue? Professional Journals * Why is it important to rely on a consensus rather than individual experts views? Some experts just start drama, past experts have been wrong. Why is it important to rely on consensus rather than individual experts views? -a consensus is more likely to be correct * How is truth defined in class? As defined in class, a statement is true and only true if it matches up with the way things are. * What are the main points of each of the Quickie Arguments? Morality does not equal legality...
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...Mid-Term Reflection paper My main moral philosophy is to treat others the same you want to be treated, also known as the golden rule. I think if everyone followed this rule there would be less problems in the world today. The definition of morality is principles of right and wrong in conduct. So by following the golden rule you are being moral to the best of your knowledge. To not follow the golden rule a person is being immoral. Moral philosophy begins with your parents, but as a person gets older they should have a set of morals that they learn on their own and apply it everyday of their life. Morality is like your duty of life; it is what you ought to do. Many people get most of their morality based on religious teachings. They use their religion as a guide for their own moral philosophy. My own morality isn’t based on religion a whole lot simply because I am not a very religious person. On the other hand for people that are religious I think religious teachings are a good set of values to base their own moral philosophy on. Half of my morality is probably based on cultural determinants. This is because I am surrounded by people all day every day and I watch how people interact with each other. Also culture has a big impact on everybody because it is a broad group of people acting in the same way, usually. If such a big group of people has the same morals it has a big impact on any individual. I think your own morality allows you to judge the moral actions of...
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...Moral Acts One of the most difficult things in life is to determine, as an adult, what might be considered right and morally acceptable. Other situations are more obvious to many and will get the same reaction afterwards. But why are these acts good and moral? The real question is whether morally good acts are willed by God because they are morally good, or are they morally good because they are willed by God? This question was first raised by Socrates to Euthyphro in Plato’s dialogue in 380 B.C. In this essay, I will explain how this question relates to the Divine Command Theory of Morality and attempt to explain how it poses a dilemma within philosophy by contradicting how the logical thinking process works by creating a false dichotomy. To begin, The Divine Command Theory has been a main stay in philosophy since ancient times and has created numerous arguments throughout the ages, some of which are heavily debated till this day. The Divine Command Theory states that actions are considered morally good because they are commanded by God, or more simply phrased by Dale Tuggy in his writing, “to be right is to be commanded by God, and to be wrong is to be forbidden by God” (Tuggy, 53). Since God created the heavens and Earth, according to various religions past and present, God must have created the good will and moral acts. This seems legitimate in all aspects of thinking, especially for the believers in God, but what about the people around the world that do not believe...
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