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1.
Imagine there is someone starving to death in the world. As it turns out, you
know this person is starving AND you can help him or her at a very low cost to
yourself (around ten cents per day for the rest of your life); all you have to
do is push a button. The money will start being deducted from your account, and
the person will not starve to death.
a. What
would a Kantian advise you to do under those circumstances and why?
b. What
would a utilitarian advise you to do and why?
2.
Imagine the same case as above EXCEPT when you press the button, the money is
stolen from a stranger’s bank account. The amount is still so minimal that it
would not cause the stranger any suffering (say, around ten cents per day).
Plus, the stranger will never know the money has been stolen. All you have to
do is press the button. The money will start being deducted from the stranger’s
account, and the starving person will live.
a. What
would a Kantian advise you to do and why?
b. What
would a utilitarian advise you to do and why?
Part 2
1.
According to Kant, why would it be wrong for someone to voluntarily be
homeless?
2.
What is the fundamental law of nature for Wolff?
3.
What is Kant's view about authoritarian moral commands?
4.
What are the two classes of motives that influence our will? And, For Kant,
what is the only legitimate motive in moral decision making?
5.
What is the step-by-step procedure indicated by the categorical imperative?
6.
Explain Kant's formula of the law of nature in terms of the example of
deceitfully borrowing money.
7.
What is the difference between a "means" and an "end"? And,
What are the negative and positive components to the formula of the end itself?
8.
Give examples of both the internal and external contradictions as indicated in
Kant's application of the categorical imperative.
9.
What is a "maxim," and how do we construct one?
10.
According to Fieser, what two modifications did Kant make to his examples
regarding the formula of the law of nature? And, when we modify Kant's examples,
what does the formula of the law of nature tell us?
Student:
Professor:
Course:
Date:
Emmanuel Kant- Utilitarianism
Part
1
Question
1:
a) A
Kantian would advise me to help a starving person through applying the
categorical imperative, which states that I should support the needy. From what
I understand, Kant concludes that people must act by the moral maxim that
allows them to work on absolute necessity.
b) Utilitarian
principles would recommend me to provide a starving person with financial
support since it states that a good deed evokes satisfaction. Many utilitarians
believe that offering assistance to a needy person creates a considerable
quantifiable pleasure.
Question 2:
a) A
Kantian would recommend that despite part of my proceeds falling into the wrong
hands, I should offer the starving person with financial assistance to satisfy the
categorical imperative. Kantians act based on the rationality of conduct as
opposed to that of its morals since the end justifies the means.
b) Given
the circumstances, a utilitarian would recommend that I assist the starving
person since the quantifiable pleasure supersedes the measurable pain.
Comparing the pleasure levels that the needy person will experience, against
the minimal strain of losing my proceeds, will justify my actions.
Part
2
Question
1:
