Exploring Morality: Reflections from a Philosophy Class

962 Words2 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Kant moral theory

In order to become a well rounded individual you must be aware of the moral problems in society and be able to evaluate them. Respectively, this class has allowed me to do so, through readings and videos, providing my own insight on many moral issues. This class has shown me there are many different interpretations to right and wrong, and hard evidence must be agued to be persuasive. Throughout the course of this class we looked into multiple philosophers such as Kant, Aristotle, and Sandel, a professor at Harvard.
The Theory I found most difficult due to the ability to read and understand the literature was Kant’s, Groundwork to a Metaphysics of Morals. In this piece of literature I didn’t realize Kant is criticizing the human inability to use reason to find happiness. He thinks humans are very poor …show more content…

Kant’s moral law revolves around the individual making decisions out of morality not self-interest, with no environmental factors taken into consideration. The golden rule “do unto others as you have done unto you” is a modern approach on Kant’s idea. It focuses on the individuals reasoning for doing the right thing but incorporates environmental factors. In society today, we do not focus solely on ones-self; making decisions for the good of others is impossible due to religion or family impacting daily decisions. As a nursing student we use a holistic approach in caring for our patients. This looks at the individual and their environmental factors in creating a plan of care while providing the best care. This topic opened my eyes to how society has changed today compared to when Kant was a philosopher. He states, “a good will is not good because of what it affects or accomplishes, it’s good in itself (14:30).” Today we focus so much on the consequences of every action, whether or not it will benefit us, and never make decisions just because it is

Show More
Related

  • Analysis of Immanuel Kant's Arguements in The Fundamental Principles of the Metaphysic of Morals”

    553 Words  | 2 Pages

    In the essay titled “Foundations of the Metaphysics of Morals” published in the Morality and Moral Controversies course textbook, Immanuel Kant argues that the view of the world and its laws is structured by human concepts and categories, and the rationale of it is the source of morality which depends upon belief in the existence of God. In Kant’s work, categorical imperative was established in order to have a standard rationale from where all moral requirements derive. Therefore, categorical imperative is an obligation to act morally, out of duty and good will alone. In Immanuel Kant’s writing human reason and or rational are innate morals which are responsible for helping human. Needless to say, this also allows people to be able to distinct right from wrong. For the aforementioned reasons, there is no doubt that any action has to be executed solely out of a duty alone and it should not focus on the consequence but on the motive and intent of the action. Kant supports his argument by dividing the essay into three sections. In the first section he calls attention to common sense mor...

    Read More

  • Pros And Cons Of Moral Pluralism

    199 Words  | 1 Pages

    Victoria, I like how you stated you came into the class with an open mind. I also came into the class with an open mind and it really helped me understand the theories and how they could apply in our everyday lives. On the last question you answered about the pluralistic approach you stated that it is the answer that we have all been looking for and I couldn’t agree more. It seems that every theory has its pros but to help us in the long run we can’t just live by one theory. Moral pluralism “allows each theory to apply to the kind of moral phenomenon it suits best; it also avoids the unfair demand that any one account can cover all the moral ground (285). “ All theories can contribute to our decision-making. “Each theory emphasizes different

    Read More

  • Analysis Of David Hume And Kant On Morality

    1093 Words  | 3 Pages

    David Hume sought out to express his opinion in which sentiment is seen as the grounding basis for morality. This sentiment is acting as the causal reasoning for why we have morality or act in a moral way. David Hume, as well as Kant, believe that causal necessity governs humans lives and actions. In this essay, I will show how Hume, provides an argument in favor of sentiment being the foundation of our morality, rather than his predecessors who favored reason. To do this, I will begin to outline Hume’s theories, highlighting his main ideas for grounding morality on sentiment and bring up some possible counterarguments one of which being Immanuel Kant's theories and how that might potentially weaken his argument and how the roots of morality

    Read More

  • Morality Vs Immanuel Kant

    2119 Words  | 5 Pages

    Immanuel Kant was an eighteenth century philosopher whose ideas redefined philosophical views of morality and justice, and provided a base for modern philosophers to argue these ideas. In Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Morals, he argues against Hume’s idea of utilitarianism. Kant also explores the idea of freedom, free action, moral action, and how to determine if our actions are moral by use of the categorical imperative.

    Read More

  • Kant's Moral Theory

    1158 Words  | 3 Pages

    However, Kant’s moral philosophy view is not without its problems. This is because the good will is not always inherently good without being qualified despite what Kant may claim. This can be seen as even if a person is an altruist who always tries to do their duty they can end up generating misery instead of pleasure. For example, say that you are going out and stealing from the rich to give to those less fortunate. In doing this you are only trying to help people and follow a duty to aid your fellow man, and it does not matter what consequences you may face due to your actions as you are supposed to have a good will even if it will get you into trouble. For a more extreme example say you are hiding Jews in your attic in Nazi Germany. The

    Read More

  • Kant Morality

    853 Words  | 2 Pages

    As humans, we are all created equal however, are we obligated to act morally? Although each person may have different beliefs on the topic, everyone has their own methods of moral reasoning. According to Immanuel Kant’s Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Morals, and most philosophers, he believes that we are all obligated to act morally through duty-based ethics. With such a belief, we are obligated to act in accordance with a specific set of maxims regardless of the consequences. Kant developed one of the most influential moral theories that derived from human reason. Throughout the Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Morals, Kant sets out to find a better understanding of morality developed from principles rather than experience. He clearly argues why we are obligated to act morally through the importance of duty, moral worth, and the categorical imperative.

    Read More

  • Analysis Of Immanuel Kant's Moral Law

    759 Words  | 2 Pages

    Great philosophers such as Immanuel Kant, John Stuart Mill and Plato unwittingly weighed in on this story, long before it ever occurred. Immanuel Kant is considered a significant and influential figure in modern philosophy. He may have single handedly set the tone on how humanity conducts themselves in society. Kant’s Categorical Imperative is basically a set of principles that we should follow. Essentially, it is our moral duty to uphold these laws whether you want to or not and that they are universal, meaning no one is immune to the rules. Michael Yudanin states one “to be compliant with the moral law, it has to be universalizable, that is, it has to be capable to be thought as a universal law that binds everybody, everywhere, and at any point in time, without contradiction” (Yudanin).

    Read More

  • Ethics Essay

    612 Words  | 2 Pages

    Human beings are confronted with numerous issues throughout his or her lifetime that would require him or her to examine the best action to take to avoid the damaging consequences. In most cases, individuals restrain his or her action to take into consideration the consequences that may lead to the right or wrong behavior. One’s ethical and moral standards are first learned at an early age from his or her culture, how he or she is raised, religious background, and social system. Scientifically, there are various ethical theories, such as the virtue theory, deontological ethics, and utilitarianism (Boylan, 2009). By understanding these theories one can compare, contrast and uncover the reasoning behind his or her ethical and moral standards.

    Read More

  • Immanuel Kant And George's Theory Of Ethics And The Utilitarian Theory

    915 Words  | 2 Pages

    According to Drolet, Marie-Josée, and Anne Hudon (p.51), two main theories attempt to explain in depth and justify moral laws and principles; utilitarianism and deontological theories. Jeremy Bentham and John Mill developed the theory of utilitarianism while Immanuel Kant developed the deontological theory. These two theories are based on how the consequences of a given act impact on an individual. The deontological theory is based on the one’s moral judgment rather than the set rules and regulations. On the other hand, the utilitarianism theory focuses on the consequences of a given deed. This paper primarily focuses on how a strict utilitarian and a strict deontologist would respond to George’s scenario. The arguments will be based on the

    Read More

  • Essay On Reason By Immanuel Kant

    959 Words  | 2 Pages

    Thereafter, it is imperative to both investigate and uncover the meaning of reason. Preliminarily, Kant notes that reason is designated for organisms that are “most fitting,” and “most suitable,” i.e., organisms that are incapable of reason aren’t applicable to his argument. As a disclaimer Kant disproves mankind’s purpose as one that is incessantly seeking happiness; because, happiness is predominantly obtained by fulfilling inclinations; so, optimally, instinctual reactions would take precedence deeming reason useless. In fact, reason is seemingly inefficient under these circumstances – the further one perseveres into a quest to acquire happiness, the more hardships, responsibilities and burdens are manifested. For example, Kant notes that scientific advancements which “appear to them (scientists) to be a luxury of the understanding,” almost always prompt more hardships and responsibilities as extrapolations. Bearing in mind that reason doesn’t accommodate happiness, or the satisfaction of our pleasure-yielding inclinations (“For since reason is not sufficiently fit to guide the will reliably with regard to its objects and the satisfaction of all our

    Read More

  • Kant's Views on Morality

    961 Words  | 2 Pages

    Morality has been a subject of many philosophical discussions that has prompted varied responses from different philosophers. One of the most famous approaches to morality is that of Immanuel Kant in his writing Groundwork of Metaphysics of Morals. Kant in this work argues that the reason for doing a particular action or the drive to do good things is a fundamental basis of defining moral quality in a person. To him, an action could be considered morally right only if the motivation behind doing that action was out of ‘goodwill’. When he defines these moral rules, he characterizes them in the form of imperatives – the hypothetical imperative and categorical imperative. While hypothetical imperatives deal with motivations and actions that lead to a particular end, categorical imperatives are a product of rational behavior in human beings. Kant considers such categorical imperatives to be the moral basis for life.

    Read More

  • Kant's Anti-Utilitarianism: Making Choices By Yourself And For Yourself?

    1431 Words  | 3 Pages

    Kant is a German philosopher who speaks heavily about the importance of individual duty and autonomy of the will within his work, The Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Morals. Within the text, Kant guides his readers to live a life of meaning and quality rather than one of little substance and insignificance. His approach to life and how one makes decisions is that of a sound person, who believes and understands that in the end you cannot please everyone, and that as long as you are doing your very best to fulfill your duty you are living a life that has worth and meaning; even if in the end the results are not what you had planned or expected. Unlike Bentham and Mill, Kant teaches his readers that expressing good will and preforming one’s moral duties are the most important factors in leading a happy life, because it produces well-rounded members of society who care about others as well as

    Read More

  • Philosophies of Augustine, Descartes, Arendt on Morality

    1413 Words  | 3 Pages

    Philosophical musings on the nature of morality are often expressed by thinkers who focus on human nature. Among the factors which determine human behaviour, a moral analysis of the concepts of right and wrong is often prominent. In investigating human behaviour through the relationship between reflection and action, this morality is often observed. Therefore, in the course currently entitled Human Sciences 101: Reflection and Action, both phiolosophy and morality are key themes. However, the calendar description for the course is as follows, “What is the relationship between thinking and action? Do they pull us in different directions? Can they be integrated? This course investigates how our own dialogue with core texts, from antiquity (e.g., Homer, Plato, Christian Scriptures) to the present (e.g., Joyce, Arendt), offers ways of understanding the dilemmas and issues raised by these texts and present in our culture” (Waterloo 2013). The description lacks a mention of the philosophical concepts of morality within the course's content. One of the core texts of the course where morality can be seen is Saint Augustine's Confessions, where Augustine explores a theological philosophy. The theme of morality is also seen in René Descartes' Discourse on Method and Related Writings, where Descartes proposes a scientific moral philosophy. Hannah Arendt's Eichmann in Jerusalem also explores morality through a philosophical examination of the relationship between thinking and committing evil. Therefore, the writings of Augustine, Descartes and Arendt each exhibit a philosophical perspective on morality which can be tied to the course's central theme of reflection and action. [END OF INTRODUCTION]

    Read More

  • What Is Kant's Utilitarian Ethics

    842 Words  | 2 Pages

    When facing moral dilemma, how we base our judgment often articulate with a reason or a principle, and the action we take should have a moral foundation. Immanuel Kant was born in 1724, and published his work Groundwork of the Metaphysic of Morals in 1785. The Groundwork was published after the American War of Independence (1776) and before the French Revolution (1789). Kant had emphasised on human dignity and his political work, the Groundwork of the Metaphysic of Morals (1785), had provided a strong basis for human right, which they called the Rights of Man at that time and offer today’s notion of the universal human rights (Sandel, 2009). Kant rejected the idea that morality and justice is to maximise collective happiness or promote virtue,

    Read More

  • Teacher Ethics

    1534 Words  | 4 Pages

    Goodlad, J. I., Sirotnik, K. A., & Soder, R. (1990). The moral dimensions of teaching. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass

    Read More

More about Exploring Morality: Reflections from a Philosophy Class

Open Document