CRM/LAW C10 Lecture Notes - Lecture 6: Immanuel Kant, Assisted Suicide, Patient Protection And Affordable Care Act
9 May 2016
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Alternative approach to morality compared to utilitarian and libertarianism. Notion of universal human rights- all human beings are worthy of respect- wrong to treat them as instruments of collective happiness (rejects utilitarianism) Morality is not about maximizing happiness or achieving any other goal. Act only that maxim whereby you can at the same time will that it become a universal law. Act in such a way that you treat humanity never simply as a means but always at the same time as an end. Ex: hugging- i like to get random hugs so i should go up to random people and hug them. You make want that but that doesn"t mean you"re treating others with respect. Lying to a murderer?- question whether lying is right even if it achieves a desirable goal and protects another individual. To kantians this is a hard question unlike utilitarians who would answer this very easily.
