Kantian ethics is helpful regarding our duty to ourselves as well as to others

Question 1

kantian ethics is UNhelpful regarding our duty to ourselves as well as to others

Answer 1

While there is clarity about Kant’s rules, as with any absolutist ethical system there is inflexibility to the situation. For instance, Kant establishes that lying is morally wrong. He thinks it is morally wrong even to lie to a murderer seeking his next victim. The idea that you must still do your duty and that it is the potential murderer whose actions are immoral will not be of much comfort to the victim!

Question 2

kantian ethics is UNhelpful regarding our duty to ourselves as well as to others

Answer 2

Similarly, the outcome of a situation is ignored. Although the outcome is not always within our control, the outcome of our actions is often foreseeable and predictable. To choose to do something that obeys a moral rule but will almost certainly lead to increased misery or suffering seems like the wrong decision.

Question 3

kantian ethics is UNhelpful regarding our duty to ourselves as well as to others

Answer 3

Kant gives no clear guidance on what to do when duties clash. In the example of the murderer above, we can universalise telling the truth and we can also universalise trying to save a life. It would appear that both of these could be categorical imperatives. We cannot do both and Kant gives us no way of deciding between conflicting duties.

Question 4

kantian ethics is UNhelpful regarding our duty to ourselves as well as to others

Answer 4

Kant’s ethics is a good theoretical solution to many moral issues; his kingdom of ends shows his aim to make moral rules for an ideal world. Ethics is about how the world ought to be. This ignores reality, however. Life is complicated and in the real world Kant’s solutions and ideas can often appear impractical.

Question 5

kantian ethics is UNhelpful regarding our duty to ourselves as well as to others

Answer 5

The principle of universal law does not necessarily show us our moral duties. Non-moral maxims can logically be
3.2 Does Kantian ethics provide a helpful way of making moral decisions?
universalised, for example ‘Everyone should sing the national anthem each Wednesday morning’ could be universalised, but it is not clear that this is a real moral duty! Similarly, just because I cannot universalise something doesn’t mean it is immoral. I cannot universalise the eating of nuts as some people have allergies, but that does not suggest that I should not eat nuts.