Kantian Moral Philosophy. Social Sciences Reaction Paper

Immanuel Kant’s Ethics
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Institution
Immanuel Kant’s Ethics
In his works, Immanuel Kant asserts that the only value that can be considered good is goodwill. He perceived goodwill as a suitable moral principle that purposely chooses to use other ethical virtues for moral ends. Goodwill decides freely to perform its moral duty. It is prescribed singularly by reason hence consisting of a person’s free will being controlled by logic (Kant, p5). According to Kant, goodwill is an advanced thought over a will that only acts from duty. The will which acts from duty is deemed as that which subdues impediments to keep the moral law. This idea does not claim that acts that come from duty are trivial but, special appreciation is bestowed to actions that ensue from duty. He also maintains that duties arise as a result of a failure, in which fulfilling them ends in the contradiction of goodwill (Kant, p7).
Kant then formulated the categorical imperative which binds people despite what their desire. These imperatives being the measure for recognizing right from wrong actions, are based on reason rather than contingent facts. The formulation states that: ‘Act only according to that maxim by which you can at the same time will that it should become a universal law.’The categorical imperative only affects the form and principle from which action ensues, unlike the outcome of the conduct or the focus of the behavior (Kant, p20). For instance, I want my friend to be happy, so I buy him a drink at the local bar. After drinking, he creates chaos and ends up getting hurt. I will not be responsible for the end because my motive was to make him happy. Accordingly, the motivation behind the act is what matters. The distinction between acting in conformity with moral law and acting for moral law lies in the impulse behind the act. A philanthropist helps the needy because he finds delight in doing that, therefore it is according to conformity on duty. If the same philanthropist has a hard time and derives no satisfaction in helping needy people, he will do it as a duty, as it is the right thing to do.
Kant and the Death penalty
The concept of taking the life of someone who has taken another person’s life intrigues peoples unreflective desires. Kant is against the idea of destroying man, which implies using man as a ‘thing.’ Man is not something...