Introduction
In the contemporary world, people usually deal with moral dilemmas, especially when deciding on the ultimate good. Philosophically, the correct definition of good action varies depending on various schools of thought. Against this backdrop, this paper aims to analyze if Judge Patrick, in the play Gone Baby Gone, demonstrated Kant’s categorical imperative premises and Michael Sandel’s contrasts on moral law in his judgment.
Kant Three Premises
Emmanuel Kant’s first premise dictates that a person should act according to the universal moral law. In this context, Patrick behaved well since he decided to report the culprit while at the same time taking back the girl to the mother. On Kant’s second premise, Patrick acted morally right since he respected Amanda’s dignity and treated her as her child (Arikan 79). In this context, he perfectly applied Kant’s idea on the special nature of creatures and ends. Finally, Patrick applies the last premise of Kant by reporting the case to the police, hence establishing a solid ground for universal law.
Michael Sandel’s Contrast
In his work, Michael Sandel accepts that people maximize three contrasting social welfare factors. These common items revolve around human welfare, freedom, and virtue. According to Sandel, Patrick behaved well by caring for the girl’s welfare, dignity, and the community at large (Arikan 90). Sandel continues to challenge the moral dilemma by accepting the need to promote freedom. In his contrasting view, he believes that Patrick played a significant role in promoting the freedom of the girl and her parents. Finally, he accepts the need for good virtue, thus promoting Patrick’s action of reporting the case to the police.
Conclusion
In conclusion, it is clear that Judge Patrick’s action of reporting the crime committed by Jack while at the same time taking the girl back home was morally right. He managed to act morally in the movie Gone Baby Gone, as spelled by Kant’s theory of maxim and Sandel contrasts. Patrick effectively utilized antecedence on the Kantian and Sandel perspectives of moral reasoning.
Work Cited
Arikan, Seda. “What is Gone? Moral Dilemma, Moral Choice and Moral Act in Gone Baby Gone.” SineFilozofi, 2020, 78-90. Web.