Kant’s Ethical Theory: Rational and Free Choices Essay

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There are certain theories that Kant made criticisms. One is the theory of retributivism by Jeremy Bentham which states that all punishment is evil (Shannon, 2008) but according to Khan, all people who does wrong deserves to be punished. Khan thinks that the punishment would serve as a payback of what the person has done wrong.

Another theory that Kant criticized is the view of Baumgarten wherein it states that God is the author and the legislator of all the natural obligations because HE was the one who made the world. However Kant believes that a categorical command must not lie on God but on the nature of things.

As with autonomy and heteronomy, they are two different things. Kant ethical theory states that autonomy of action is necessary for moral choice and that heteronomy is the exact opposite. Say for example, an autonomous person is a person whose will is determined by his own self while a heteronymous person may is a person whose will is determined by external factors (Shannon, 2008).

Kant, in his moral theory, states that as a human being we are able to make rational choices and free choices as well. As we are rational beings we will be able to say that our actions are moral if these actions are consistent with the categorical imperative which is considered to be the ultimate principle. It is a command that is why it is called an imperative that would tell us to exercise our wills following a certain way. It is also called as categorical since we have the rational and free will. Kant has three different versions of his categorical imperatives as follows: First is “Act only according to that maxim by which you can at the same time will that it would become a universal law”, second is “Act in such a way that you always treat humanity, whether in your own person or in the person of any other, never simply as a means, but at the same time as an end”, and the last is “So act as if you were through your maxims a law-making member of a kingdom of ends’” (Shannon, 2008).

Adhering to the categorical imperatives of Kant one can make autonomous ethical choice as this considers other people in making choices. One can make decisions without the fear that others might suffer because of such a decision. Thus Kant’s categorical imperatives put emphasis on considering the welfare of others in making decisions to make sure that one made an ethical choice.

Kant’s theory on Ethical decision making for me is good as it considers other’s welfare before making the decision. It hopes to avoid conflicts with others upon making the decision. In this theory people are expected to do what is right no matter what the circumstances are thus if everyone is doing the right thing then I guess there would be lesser conflicts around the globe.

In Kant’s theory on ethical decision making puts emphasis on the adherence to duty and that the action is determined by intentions and not by outcomes. Thus in making studies, in Genetic testing for example, using an informed consent, is one example of utilizing Kant’s theory. So, explaining first to the person who would be involved in the testing should be informed first what it is for, and then that person can make a decision to go on with the procedure or not (Ethical Theories, 2005).

Reference

Ethical Theories, Principles, and Decision-Making Models.(2005). Medscape Today. Web.

Shannon. (2008). Reviewing Kant’s Theory of Ethical Duty. Associate Content. The People’s Media Company. Web.

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