Immanuel Kant's Categorical Imperative Not Only Says That Yo

Immanuel Kants Categorical Imperative Not Only Says That You Should

Immanuel Kant’s “Categorical Imperative” not only says that you should do the right thing because it is the right thing to do, but that you should ask yourself if you would want what you are considering to do to become universal law (i.e., something that everyone should HAVE to do, including TO you, in the very same situation) and if it still respected the other person as someone who had the ability to make his or her own decisions in a rational way. His defense of imprisonment and capital punishment was that anyone, including you, who rationally chose to break the law and who had also rationally chosen to accept whatever punishment would result because of getting caught for the crime, would not be getting the respect they deserved if we did not punish the person for their rational choices (even if they had made the choice to act irrationally and commit the crime).

So, in Kant’s view, punishment is the choice that a rational person makes and wants to see made universal and applied to himself and everyone else when they choose to break the law; not punishing the person would be a show of disrespect for his ability to be rational. And, yes, for all of you CJ majors, Kant DID accept the notion of mitigating circumstances (i.e., acts of passion that are outside the realm of pure rationality). But, in truth, they are not common and even harder to prove. For the most part, Kant assumes that most crimes are planned (even the stupid ones in which things go very wrong). And, keep in mind that Kant does not worry about whether there is a virtuous 'just right' decision between one virtuous 'mean' and an infinite number of vicious and wrong possibilities (like Aristotle did) or the results (like Mill did); his only concern is that you do the right thing because it is the right thing to do and that you rationally and willingly choose to accept your punishment if you consciously choose to do the wrong thing.

The scenario: You left your cell phone in your car while visiting your best friend in another city, and you just remembered that you were supposed to text your spouse to let him or her know that you arrived safely. So, your friend is in the kitchen and his or her partner is still at work; and, rather than run back out to your car to get your own phone, you pick up your friend’s phone and click on the Messages app. The phone has not been cleared, and you see really racy posts from someone besides your friend’s husband or wife. It is clear to you that there is a sexual affair of some sort going on. So, what are you going to do?

You can go ahead and call your own spouse and tell them about the affair, but then you remember that Kant said that you should do only what you would want done to you in the same situation---and, you are not sure that you would want someone spreading those kinds of rumors about you if they happened to pick up your cell phone. You could confront your friend, and either cheer them on or tell them that they are acting like an idiot and about to screw up the best thing they have ever had in life; but, would you want someone to do that for you if you were in the same situation? You could do nothing; it’s a cop-out, but maybe it is what you would want your friend to do if you were the one having an affair and did not want to hear anyone telling you that the right thing to do is the right thing. • What would you do, and why? • If you were the person cheating on his or her spouse, what would you want your friend who found out to do to you, and why?

Paper For Above instruction

Immanuel Kant’s ethical philosophy centers around the concept of the categorical imperative, a moral absolute that guides individuals to act only according to principles that they would want to become universal laws. Unlike consequentialist theories that focus on outcomes, Kant emphasizes duty and rationality as the cornerstones of moral decision-making. This essay explores how Kant’s imperative applies to ethical dilemmas, specifically through a complex scenario involving privacy, honesty, and respect among friends and spouses.

The core of Kant’s moral philosophy asserts that actions are morally right if they are performed out of duty and comply with universal moral laws that respect human dignity. Central to this is the formulation that one should act only according to maxims that can be consistently willed as universal laws without contradiction. Furthermore, Kant emphasizes treating individuals as ends in themselves, not merely as means to an end. This dual emphasis on universality and respect informs how we should approach morally ambiguous situations such as the one depicted in the scenario involving a found smartphone with evidence of an affair.

Application of Kantian Ethics to the Scenario

The scenario presents a moral dilemma: discovering evidence of an affair on a friend's phone and contemplating various responses—spreading rumors, confronting the friend, or remaining silent. According to Kantian ethics, the decision should be guided by whether the chosen action can be rationalized as a universal law that respects the autonomy and dignity of all involved. For instance, if one considers simply spreading information about the affair, this action could be formulated into a maxim: “It is acceptable to reveal private information to others.”

For this maxim to be morally permissible under Kant’s framework, it must be universally applicable without contradiction and must treat others as rational agents. Spreading rumors or private information without consent generally violates the second formulation of the categorical imperative—treating others as means rather than as ends—and could lead to a contradiction if everyone applied such a maxim indiscriminately. Such an action would undermine trust and respect, which are essential for rational social cooperation.

Conversely, choosing to respect the privacy of the individual involved, perhaps by doing nothing or refraining from sharing the evidence, aligns more closely with Kantian principles. Not because it condones unfaithfulness, but because it respects the individual’s autonomy and the moral duty to honor commitments and privacy, provided one’s actions could be consistently willed as a universal law.

Moral Duty and Rational Choice

In this context, Kant’s emphasis on rational choice becomes central. If the individual who finds the evidence believes that hiding the truth or acting dishonestly is the rational and duty-bound course of action, then their decision must pass the test of universality and respect. For example, if the person chooses to confront their friend with honesty, it must be rooted in the moral law that honesty is always the right course when respecting others as moral agents. Alternatively, if keeping silent is motivated by concern for privacy or fear, this must also be consonant with treating others as ends, not merely as means to avoid discomfort or conflict.

Importantly, Kant allows for mitigating circumstances such as acts of passion that might impair rational deliberation. However, these are exceptional and not the norm. The primary consideration remains whether the action arises from a rational and duty-bound decision. In terms of punishment or consequences, Kant argues that rational agents accept punishment as a rational recognition of their violation of universal moral laws, thus maintaining mutual respect and moral order.

Conclusion

Applying Kant’s categorical imperative to this dilemma suggests that one’s response should be guided by the principles of universalizability and respect for autonomy. Revealing private information recklessly or spreading rumors would violate these principles, whereas respecting privacy or acting in accordance with rational duty aligns with Kantian morals. Ultimately, Kant’s focus on duty and rationality underscores the importance of making moral choices that uphold human dignity and consistency, regardless of personal consequences or inclinations. This approach fosters a moral society grounded in mutual respect, accountability, and universal principles that everyone can will as a law for themselves and others.

References

• Kant, I. (1785). Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Morals. Cambridge University Press, 1997.
• Schopenhauer, A. (1851). The World as Will and Representation. Dover Publications, 2012.
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• Korsgaard, C. M. (1996). Creating the Kingdom of Ends. Cambridge University Press.
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• Allison, H. (2011). Kant’s Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Morals: A Commentary. Oxford University Press.
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