Reference no: EM132081597
“In Kantian theories, respect for the human being is said to be necessary-not just as an option or at ones discretion-because human beings possess a moral dignity and therefore should not be treated as if they had merely the conditional value possessed by machinery, industrial plants, robots, and capitol. (Arnold, Beauchamp, Bowie 22)”
This passage in the reading stands out to me most because it really hits on what Kantian ethical theory is all about. Doing what is best for the individual, treating everyone as their own person and not placing people into different social stereo types or groups. Both the Kantian and the Utilitarian theory want what is best for people, but the flaw in Utilitarianism is that it is only good for the majority. Kantian focuses on the individual and what is best for each person. I find this to be a much more beneficial route to help improve society as a whole more than the Utilitarian theory.
Even though the Utilitarian theory is much faster to implicate through legislation. Trying to do the most good for the most people is what we’ve been attempting as a Constitutional Republic for over 240 years. The dilemma with this is when government gets too big, there becomes a disconnect with the individual and eventually government is the problem, because legislators start seeing people as capitol that they can use to stay in power. It becomes an adverse effect of what the utilitarian theory was originally trying to be.
As I always like to say, “Society start with the individual”. That is what I believe Kantian theory is about, creating a society where everyone is their own person and should be treated with the same level of moral dignity and respect. This creates unity among people from every walk of life, by tearing down our preconceived notions about people we don’t even know; placing a value on every human being is what creates a free and moral society. Since we just observed MLK Jr. Day I would like to leave you with this quote from the doctor, “I look to a day when people will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character”.
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