Essays on Immanuel Kant

Article Review of Duty and Desolation by Rae Langton Relating to Honesty and Utility, Value and Rights

Abstract
It is necessary to establish the supreme principle of morality and look at the present treatise that surround it. For a law to hold moral ground, it has to submit to the rule of law and with it the ground of obligation (Hauptli, 2013). For example, there is the law that states “Thou shalt not lie”. This law has to be obeyed by everybody; those who have sound morals and those who do not care for morals. Abiding to the law is the moral thing to do and everyone need to observe it. This argument means that doing Continue reading...

Identify a moral agent.

The moral agent or agency in this case is Doctor ‘X’ and I. A moral agent is any being who can act with reference to wrong or right. A moral agent is anything that is accountable for decisions and behavior. Moral agents have responsibilities and rights and have the power to choose as well as make choices. The idea of being a moral agent explains why some people blame others for things they do and others told to take responsibility of their actions. Moral agents have the freedom of making decisions and taking on the consequences.
Being a moral Continue reading...

Introduction

Business ethics serves a great purpose in ensuring that enterprises engage in legitimate trade activities. More so, business ethics provides for a fair playing ground in a business context. Business leaders have a responsibility in upholding ethics in their business transactions (Johnson, 2014). With ethics, the transactions become free and it provides a chance for business growth. This paper focuses on Steve Jobs as an ethical business leader. The paper will highlight different ethical principles that apply in business and relate them to the business leadership displayed by Steve Jobs.

Brief Overview of Jobs as a Business Leader

Today applications designers envy the business legacy left behind Continue reading...

Throughout the history of Western civilization, people have asked themselves questions about how to lead their lives and achieve happiness. Major philosophers have debated this idea, arguing for different ways of orienting their lives, commenting and criticizing their precursors in the process. Two of the most important of these thinkers were Aristotle and Immanuel Kant, who both drafted different ethical theories, while staying within the boundaries of what is considered standard in the Western philosophical tradition. Specific differences in their contexts lead to major dissimilarities in their theories. However, both theories have aspects which may be considered correct, and Continue reading...

Part I: Descartes, Hume, and Kant

Question One
Descartes conceives the self by application of the principles of dualism. He says that, the self cannot exist on its own. He believes that, the understanding of human beings has a direct link with God. Human beings are as a result of metaphysical events that relate the mind with the idea of God. Through God’s intervention, people are able to identify themselves. The human mind makes decisions that are directly proportional to the inspiration from Gog and the cognitive responses that follow the directives from God. In essence, Descartes goes on to add that, at no Continue reading...

Part I Question 2: Ontological arguments

Ontological arguments are a category of philosophical arguments that support the existence of God using ontology. There are many arguments classified under the category of ontological. Normally ontological arguments normally start a priory theory about how the universe is organized. The argument states that if it is true that the universe is organized, then it will give reasons as to why God must exist (Schlesinger, 85). They rationally support God’s existence. The ontological argument that God exists was first created in the proslogion of Anselm (1033-1109). Immanuel Kant was the first person to call the argument ‘ontological.’ Kant Continue reading...

The Constitution rests on a proposition of all constitutional governments through the definition of limited governments. It adds that constitutions are legal and not simply political limitations to the government. There are considerations by various anti-thesis on the arbitrary rule. The contrary imagery to this is despotic government for which the government depends on willingness above law. As the constitution declares all men equal, what is the connection between equality, liberty and happiness? Liberty and equality are incompatible concepts that tend to conflict at most times. Liberty means being free from interference and this is what has driven liberalism Continue reading...

(Name of Student)

“One person’s abnormality is another person’s life.”-Alice Dreger

The extent to which one person’s abnormality is another person’s life is relative to the scope of anatomical normality or abnormality. Genetic abnormalities that relate to gender, otherwise known as anatomical sexual variation, are part of human intersexuality. Intersex is defined as the anatomical variation from the standard male or female gender, and is a pathological variable that require medical treatment. This means that an intersex child has the sexual anatomy of both genders.
Intersex genitals may therefore be a sign of an underlying medical condition, but they are not a medical problem. The Continue reading...

Corporate social responsibility (CSR) is an initiative to take responsibility for any effects to the environment caused by the company. It can also be defined as the continuous commitment by a business to behave ethically to contribute to economic development while improving the quality of life of the employees, their families and the community and society at large. The company, therefore, in this case involves itself in actions for the good of the society, past the interests of the firm and legal requirements. Corporate social responsibility may include environmental care and safeguard, fair trade and community service, charity outreaches Continue reading...

Introduction

“Critique of Judgment " is a fundamental work of Kant which develops aesthetic theory. This work is divided into two parts: The Critique of Aesthetic Judgment and The Critique of Teleological Judgment. The book also contains an overview of the entire Critic system of the author.
In the “Critique of Judgment” Kant explores the reflective power of judgment which is manifested, in particular, in the judgment of taste or aesthetic judgments. Aesthetic pleasure, according to Kant, is pure (disinterested) pleasure derived from an object. Therefore, the aesthetic should be distinguished from the feeling of pleasure.
Kant stated that although the Continue reading...

The ancestor of classical German philosophy Immanuel Kant (1724-1804) during the early period of the activity dealt with issues of natural sciences much and made the hypothesis of the origin and developments of the solar system.
This philosophical system is the compromise between materialism and idealism. Materialistic tendencies in Kant's philosophy affect that he recognizes the existence of objective reality, things out of us. Kant teaches that there are the "transcendental objects" which are not depending on the learning subject. If Kant consistently carried out this look, it would come to materialism. But in contradiction with this materialistic view, Continue reading...

The ethical theory proposed by the great German philosopher Emmanuel Kant is centered on three dimensions- goodwill, moral worth and duty. Possession of goodwill is the primary requirement of achieving morality. Goodness of one's action is not defined by its goal, reason, means and the expected desirable effects, but is solely determined by its nature. Therefore, certain actions such as theft, cheating, and murder are prohibited even if these actions will hinder man from gaining more happiness since they are naturally immoral.
Moral worth is achieved only if the actions are governed by goodwill alone. Actions will not be Continue reading...

Does An Employer Have The Right To Test Its Employees For Drug Use?

OUTLINE

Introduction

An employer should have the rights to test its employees for drug use.
This is informed by the fact that the market is a free enterprise which entails a willing employee-willing employee concept, otherwise, called the laissez faire.

Body

It is instructive to appreciate the two ethical theories that inform the argument in this paper.
These are the Deontological and the Virtue Ethics theories.
According to the theories, employers have the right to demand certain conditions of their employees.
Conclusion
A conducive environment for working remains a prerequisite for competitive performance.
Drug use remains a hindrance to this environment Continue reading...

Throughout history, philosophers have often clashed heads in regards to the definition and understanding of the human self. Many have formulated a myriad of theories that attempt to decipher the true meaning and motivations of the human self. Two of the moist prolific philosophers of the exploration of this aspect were Immanuel Kant and Ralph Waldo Emerson. Emerson was an American philosopher born and raised in Massachusetts. On the other hand, Kant lived in an earlier era and was German by birth. It was Kant’s original transcendental deductions that later acted as an influence to the New England Continue reading...

Emotions can affect one's reasoning and how one makes decisions. Unless one is in control of his or her own emotions, it may be difficult to think and reason effectively. Inner emotions change a person’s moral reasoning when proving their actions. It is necessary to avoid the effect of emotions when reasoning through a difficult situation. For instance, you want to prove very important point and at the same time you are in a bad mood, angry or hopeless. These emotions will surely affect your moral reasoning to some extent. Avoiding emotions at all in making a decision Continue reading...

INTRODUCTION

The issue of if animals have the same sentience and morality of humans is a topic that has been greatly debated throughout history. Many philosophers and scientists have weighed in to try and find the answer to this age-old question. Singer has explicit views on the relative sentience of animals and morality of the ways in which human beings use animals, and those views often come into conflict with the ways that human beings interact with non-human animals in various societies. Singer defines sentience as “the capacity to experience episodes of positively or negatively valenced awarenesses” (Singer). Positive sentience Continue reading...

OUTLINE

Introduction

An employer should have the rights to test its employees for drug use.
This is informed by the fact that the market is a free enterprise which entails a willing employee-willing employee concept, otherwise, called the laissez faire.

Body

It is instructive to appreciate the two ethical theories that inform the argument in this paper.
These are the Deontological and the Virtue Ethics theories.
According to the theories, employers have the right to demand certain conditions of their employees.
Conclusion
A conducive environment for working remains a prerequisite for competitive performance.
Drug use remains a hindrance to this environment Continue reading...

The idea of just society is of great relevance in the modern world. Justice is a quality of providing equality and fairness. It is essentially the quality of giving equal opportunities to people regardless of their background (Sandel, 7). The idea of a just society stretches among various aspects of life. For example, in the court, judges are expected to make a fair ruling to a case. Furthermore, in the corporate world, the employers should only hire employees based on their qualifications. Finally, justice may be applied in the society where the freedom and welfare of all individuals should Continue reading...

Ethics can be examined in many different manners, however, Kant’s model of ethics presents a framework to explain how people perceive ethics through reward and punishment. Kant feels that the only way to truly understand ethics is to experience a variety of ethical dilemmas and learn to solve them through emotional stimulus. Kant’s concept of moral obligation is that there is a priori concept of our minds. This essentially removes God as the basis for morality, and argues that we have free-will in regards to our own moral compass.
Kant argues that ethics are learned throughout the Continue reading...

Business Ethics Case: Application of Ethical Tenets

Introduction
Contemporary organizations have increasingly promoted social responsibility and conformity to ethical standards. Two of the most popular global organizations are Wal-Mart and McDonald’s. According to Wal-Mart’s official website:
- “Wal-Mart operates over 11,000 retail units under 71 banners in 27 countries
- Wal-Mart employs 2.2 million associates around the world — 1.3 million in the U.S. alone” .

- Established “more than 35,000 local restaurants;
- serving nearly 70 million people,
- in more than 100 countries each day” .
As such, these two organizations touch and influence millions of people through the products and services being Continue reading...

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1 Introduction
Since the 1930s a new philosophical direction developed almost without recognition of the public. Since then it gained in importance, till it has reached quite recently the predominant role. While this philosophical movement was in the beginning described as Logical Empiricism, or Neopositivism it is nowadays much more accurately described bas Analytical Philosophy. It conducts language and notion analysis on the basis of logic. Gaining popularity in the last years it has altered and even erased some old concepts of classical philosophy.
- Vienna Circle
The Vienna circle was a philosophical school Continue reading...

Introduction

In most discussions in International Affairs, it is common for analysts to blame the cause of war on “bad” and “aggressive” states. These are typically, nations that are either totalitarian in outlook or ruled by a dictator who declares war without much sensitivity to the implications of the war on the broader group of stakeholders. Therefore, the central theme of preventing wars in the world is to create a family of nations that are democratic and this is seen by many as the only way of preventing all out wars and promoting peace in these countries. This is to Continue reading...

Introduction

This study will define some of the terms such as Rationalism Empiricism and principle of utility states. It will further discuss some of the hypotheses by the philosophers such as Nietzsche and Sartre.
Rationalism is being defined in philosophy as, the analysis that regards reasons as the primary source and the knowledge analysis. Empiricism is a theory that all the knowledge of matters of facts comes from sensory experience (Locke, 1998).The principle of utility states that, both actions and behavior are correct as long as they uphold happiness and pleasure. On the other hand, actions and behaviors are Continue reading...

The debate over abortion has been raging for quite some time in our culture. In recent times, one observes that abortions have become commonplace. Most supporters primarily argue with respect to autonomy and women’s rights with respect to abortion. On the other hand, the pro-life supporters argue with the fact that the act of abortion results in the killing of a fetus. Since the act of killing is morally and ethically despicable, pro-life supporters use this argument as a foundation. On a moral basis too, Kantian ethics renders abortion as an immoral act for a number of different Continue reading...

Section I: Matching (Maximum 20 points)

This section consists of ten (10) matching questions worth two (2) points each. Match the moral theories in the shaded box below with the ten numbered descriptions set forth below the shaded box. Choose the moral theory that corresponds best to each numbered question and write the letter that corresponds to the appropriate moral theory in the space provided below.
[Hint: Some questions may have more than one moral theory that is applicable to it. In such a case, simply choose one applicable theory and write its corresponding letter on the space provided. Only one correct response is required Continue reading...

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Social Contract Theory: Social Contract Theory was founded by Thomas Hobbes, a renowned English philosopher. According to this theory, the moral and political obligations of individuals depend upon an agreement (contract) among them for the formation of the society they belong to. The purpose of this contract is the establishment of a constitutional act for keeping the political body subordinate to moral values. Hobbes believes that social contract makes it possible for human beings to continue their survival on this planet. He maintained that by contracting socially, men surrender their inherent liberties for enjoying the safety Continue reading...

Introduction

The topic euthanasia or physician-assisted suicide remains to be a topic of concern across various settings all around the globe. Speaking of euthanasia or physician-assisted suicide, this connotes to the deliberate instigation of death of an individual for the sole benefit of that individual. The scope of physician-assisted suicide can be traced back to the close of the year 1990, when Dr. Kevorkian Jack, retired pathologist utilized assisted suicide to help one of his patients (Gorsuch 24). Since this episode, the topic on assisted suicide has evolved into one of the most equivocal topics. In fact, this topic has Continue reading...

Is it wrong for Advertisers to Target Children?

The debate on advertisements targeting children has raged on for some time. Companies use advertisements to make the public aware of their products in the market. The type of advert aired may have both positive and negative influence on the child. Nowadays, many children get exposed to a variety of advertisements on the different media like radio, television, the internet, and the print media as well. As a matter of fact, advertisements are available for people of all ages. However, the children have become more susceptible and in most instances, the advertisers targeting children customize their messages to influence Continue reading...

Humor provokes laughter. Most people from all backgrounds have a sense of humor since they can experience laughter. The extent to which one finds something to be humorous mainly depends on their culture, level of maturity, intelligence and educational background. There are other forms of humor that appeal to adults such as satire since they can only be humorous when the audience understands the context. Humor is, therefore, relative from one individual to another. People who do not seem to have self- interest seem to interest people, who see their actions as humorous.
People easily relate to humor since Continue reading...

Best friend: (After hitting down and killing an old woman due to careless driving). You must promise not tell anyone about this incident.
Kant: A hit and run dilemma must involve an unlawful driving practice where the person liable for perpetrating or partaking in the accident declines to stop and assume accountability as required by the law. As opposed to adhering to the recommended procedure after such a misfortune or acting as recourse for any affected victim.
Hume: In your scenario, a hit and run incident arises since your colleague was accountable for the accident but decided to abscond Continue reading...

Over many years the topic of euthanasia causes mixed reactions in society. Attention to the issue of euthanasia has increased with the development of social progress, and in particular - the technology of life support for seriously ill people. Relevance of the topic cannot be overestimated, firstly, due to the fact that it is associated with the most expensive thing a man can have - his life, and secondly - because of poor knowledge of the problem, its lack of lighting in the works of lawyers and almost and big law gaps in the legislation.
Numerous debates on this Continue reading...

Introduction

Objectification of women is a trend that is coming up in the entertainment industry especially in movies, music videos, music and television. This development seems to be affecting women more than men. The wave of women stereotypes is dangerous for the society because it is bound to affect how men and women relate to each other and promote unhealthy habits in the masses that are exposed to such incorrect media representation of women. This issue is especially tricky to handle because it is evident that the more the media depicts women as sexual objects, the more viewers seem to Continue reading...

‘The offering, giving, receiving, or soliciting of something of value for the purpose of influencing the action of an official in the discharge of his or her public or legal undertakings’ is the legal definition of bribery. China is ranked position 80 out of 178 countries in terms of corruption; this vice is rampant and pervades way for the fast growing economy of the country. China is one of the most developed countries and it’s on its way to achieving the super power status and high economic growth in the next one decade. However, if bribery and corruption Continue reading...

Philosophy

The field related to artificial intelligence and cognitive robotics is called artificial consciousness or machine consciousness or even synthetic consciousness. This field was formed with the purpose to "define that which would have to be synthesized were consciousness to be found in an engineered artifact". When different parts of the brains, which are named neural correlates of consciousness of the NCC, interoperate then they generate consciousness, as defined by the hypothesis of neuroscientists. There exist various supporters of artificial consciousness who are of the belief that the possibility of constructing machines, for instance computer systems, which follow the interoperation Continue reading...

Chapter 9: Descartes

1. "I find here that thought is an attribute that belongs to me; it cannot be separated from me. I am, I exist, that is certain" (Descartes qtd. in Soccio 260). What does Descartes mean by this statement and why is it so important?
Descartes claims that there is no ego without a thought (mind) and this ego does not exist in a thoughtless state. That is one of his most important ideas, which led to a well-known statement - “I think therefore I am”.
2. What is meant to be proven by the wax example? How does Descartes Continue reading...

Universal Ethics is a set of values that apply to all humans, whether religious or secular, independent from any particular faith. The compilation of Universal Ethics is not a base for a new religion. In precise, it does not say anything about liturgical or philosophical notions of any categories. That means that it does not elucidate the existence of the Universe with inclusion of a man’s existence. It does not suggest any precise ritual in addition it does not deal with the concept of God. It does not contain any stories, myths, or absolute doctrines. Most significantly, Universal Continue reading...

Philosophy

Mill vs. Kant on Ethics and Free Markets

Introduction

Philosophy provides a framework for politics and economics. When approaching the subject of free markets, the viewpoints of Immanuel Kant and John Stuart Mill were divergent. Their philosophical viewpoints flow out of the ethics of deontology and utilitarianism.

The ethics of utilitarianism is built upon the framework of maximizing benefits to all members of society (Shaw 41). John Stuart Mill, a proponent of utilitarianism, propounded the moral corollary that “society ought not to interfere with people’s liberty when their actions affect only themselves (Shaw 19). Therefore, utilitarianism translates to free Continue reading...

Discrimination in the workplace can come in many different forms ranging from sex, race, color, religion, gender reassignment or even sexual orientation .
According to Kant, discrimination in the workplace is argued to be morally wrong and by the appeal to the considerations of justice. According to his argument, for the reason that it treats individuals as the means to whatever social reasons the discrimination is meant to serve and not as ends. This view in Kantians serves for both sexists and racists times of bad old age discrimination and the socially progressive times of “reverse discrimination” which involve use Continue reading...

At the center of feminist theory is the notion of objectification. Generally defined objectification is seeing and treating an individual as an object or a tool for use. Objectification has mostly been defined in relation to women than to men. Sexual objectification occurs in the context of sexuality. In the pornography debate, it’s been argued by anti-pornography feminists that, by men consuming pornography, women as a whole are reduced to the level of mere objects for use by men. Traditionally the view has been that only women can be sexually objectified, however, feminist authors Naomi wolf and Christina Continue reading...

J.S. Mill versus Immanuel Kant dilemma
There has been little notable progress so far in determining the controversy of judging the criterion of wrong and right. Among the facts presented about the present state of human knowledge, the controversy’s state is most indicative significant of the outdated state in which making theories of the relevant subject still lingers. So far, it proves how much little progress exists. Since the dawn of philosophy, the question of the “summum bonum", (the greatest good) concerning morality has caused its division into schools and sects warning against each other, and is recognized Continue reading...