Ethics

Ethics Study Guide

©2018 Achieve Page 30 of 116 Kant defined a kingdom as various rational beings systematically united through common laws. Rational beings constitute a kingdom to the extent that their ends constitute a system. To constitute a system not only must their ends be mutually compatible, but they must be mutually reinforcing as well, constituting a system of shared ends. Universal adherence to the laws of a kingdom of ends would result in furthering the ends of all rational beings in a single teleological system. These three formulas represent the same principle and differ only in representing different aspects of that same principle. Kant claimed that for appraisal of an action the first formula is best, but ideally all three should be applied. 4.3 Existentialism Existentialism is a philosophy that focuses on finding one’s self and the meaning of life through free will, choice, and personal responsibility. Existentialists believe that people are continually searching to discover whom and what they are in life as they exercise choices based on their experiences, beliefs, and outlooks. Personal choices are unique and independent of an objective form of truth. An existentialist believes that a person should be required to choose and be responsible without the help of laws, ethnic rules, or traditions. Because existentialist ethics reject the idea of absolute moral laws and most religion-based ethics, they have to find moral significance without these traditional justifications. There are a wide variety of philosophical, religious, and political ideologies that comprise existentialism, so there can be no universal agreement in an arbitrary set of ideals and beliefs. Each ideology simply seeks the most individual freedom for people within a society. 4.4 Nietzsche: On the Genealogy of Morals Friedrich Nietzsche (1844-1900) wrote On the Genealogy of Morals, which is made up of three essays. In each, Nietzsche uses a genealogical method to examine the origins and meanings of our different moral concepts and questions, and critiques the value of our moral judgments. Nietzsche’s main undertaking is to question the value of our morality. Nietzsche characterized his era as nihilistic, because of its unwavering faith in a science that describes the world as meaningless and under the influence of unchanging laws. Nihilism is the literal belief in nothing. The first essay: Good and Evil, Good and Bad This essay begins with an explanation of how the terms good and bad got their meaning: Originally, there were two kinds of individuals, the noble, powerful, superior, and high-minded, and the lower class, low-minded and common. The Formula of the Kingdom of Ends Maxim: We ought to act only by maxims that would harmonize with a possible kingdom of ends.