Kantian Philosophy Of Morality

Kantian Philosophy of Morality

Kantian philosophy outlines the Universal Law Formation of the
Categorical Imperative as a method for determining morality of
actions. This formula is a two part test. First, one creates a maxim
and considers whether the maxim could be a universal law for all
rational beings. Second, one determines whether rational beings would
will it to be a universal law. Once it is clear that the maxim passes
both prongs of the test, there are no exceptions. As a paramedic faced
with a distraught widow who asks whether her late husband suffered in
his accidental death, you must decide which maxim to create and based
on the test which action to perform. The maxim "when answering a
widow's inquiry as to the nature and duration of her late husbands
death, one should always tell the truth regarding the nature of her
late husband's death" (M1) passes both parts of the Universal Law
Formation of the Categorical Imperative. Consequently, according to
Kant, M1 is a moral action. The initial stage of the Universal Law
Formation of the Categorical Imperative requires that a maxim be
universally applicable to all rational beings. M1 succeeds in passing
the first stage. We can easily imagine a world in which paramedics
always answer widows truthfully when queried. Therefore, this maxim is
logical and everyone can abide by it without causing a logical
impossibility. The next logical step is to apply the second stage of
the test. The...

Kantian Philosophy Of Morality

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