Individual Blog Post #1

Kantian ethics revolves around the "The Formula of the End in Itself," proposed by Immanuel Kant.  The Formula talks about respecting yourself, and your neighbours rationality and autonomy.  For example one should not undermine some ones rationality by deception.  One can also think of this as purposely clouding someone's judgement. In turn if you were to commit suicide or you know someone that does drugs one can say that they are not respecting their autonomy.  Furthermore Kantian ethics state that  about the intention of the action that determines whether the action was ethical, and not the consequence of the action.  Ethics is about being consistent with moral law.  Moral law is determined by using your ability to rationalize and not act solely on your desires.

Utilitarianism is built on hedonism; or the achievement of pleasure and freedom from pain should be the goal in life.  A very important principle of utilitarianism is that morality actually tells us to maximize happiness.  Reason instead, is a tool that we can use to better increase our chances of pleasure. At the same time use it to help reduce the chances of pain.  Thus, the decision that generates the most amount of happiness, is that one that should be considered.  A cornerstone of utility would be that the interest of the community is what is best for them.

In my opinion I would say that the structure of Kantian Ethics is more plausible. The ability to be able to rationalize is what sets us apart, as humans, from everything else in existence.  Having the ability to rationalize, we as humans have an unspoken duty to respect individual rights.  For example as a human you should not take advantage of another rational creature.  You should never lie to a rational creature, because doing so undermines that creatures rationality.  Consider a situation in where a friend calls asking for a ride.  You being a good friend agree and drive out to provide your stranded friend a ride.  When you arrive at the location your friend simply instructs you to drive to another location.  You have no reason to be suspicious and  you accept your friends story and continue.  However, in reality your friend just robbed a bank and shot a security guard.  You unknowingly provided your friend a gateway car.  In other words your friend used you for the sake of self interest and self pleasure.  Suicide or doing things that harm your physical body can be considered abusing your autonomy.  In other words you are giving up your ability to rationalize; choosing to give up essentially what makes you a human and not an animal.  If you commit suicide you are killing your existence.  In which it is to be considered special, since you are the only animal in existence that has the ability to rationalize.  If you do drugs, you are giving into your desires regardless of the consequences.   You simply do everything in the interest of self pleasure and nothing more.  Ethics should be about being consistent with moral law.  Kant thinks that acting moral is using your rationality.  While acting by just our desires, the reason for doing so will just be for our personal benefit.  In turn we would act in nothing but self interest and in turn act like nothing more than a simple animal in the wild, fighting for survival regardless of the costs.

1.  All acts that undermine autonomy are unethical
2.  All killings of rational creatures are acts that undermine autonomy
3. Therefore, all killings of rational creatures are unethical.