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Refer to Box 6.2 in your textbook. Consider some activity you have done recently. Identify the activity and then compare what you have done to Kant's concept of "duty" and to von Goethe's concept of "nearest duty". Which philosopher's idea of duty post closely describes what you did and WHY? |
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| 2 | |
Read "Abandon Ship!" in the Narrative Section of Chapter 6. Can the decision to choose who shall live and who shall die be compared to today's contemporary controversy of euthanasia? How is it similar? How is it different? Explain your answer. |
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| 3 | |
If you volunteer to walk your neighbor's dog while he is on vacation, and through no fault of your, the dog's leash breaks, the dog runs away and ultimately is hit by a car. According to Kant, and his concept of respect for the moral law, would you be held accountable for the loss of your neighbor's dog? Explain your answer. |
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| 4 | |
Using Kant's test, categorical imperative, determine what the correct behavior would be to the following situation.
You have finally been able to arrange for a weekend of skiing. The snow is perfect, a foot of powder over a well formed base. Several of your closest friends are going along. This is the weekend you've been waiting for.
The night before you are to leave, your father calls you. Your grandparents are coming to visit. They live approximately 1500 miles away and you seldom see them. They are approaching advanced age. Your father insists that you come home for the weekend and visit with your grandparents. What should you do?
Using the categorical imperative, determine what you will do. |
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| 5 | |
Although there are many imperatives, there is only one categorical imperative. What did he mean when it was stated "always act so that you can will that your maxim can become a universal law". Use specific examples to provide support for your opinion. |
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| 6 | |
Read the prose written in this chapter on page ____. (p282-283 of the manuscript). How does this epitomize Kant's concept of "nearest duty". |
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| 7 | |
Choose a nearest duty you need to complete (or recently completed). Using Kant's example what would you need to do to be free to engage in other activities? Be specific in your response. |
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| 8 | |
Refer to the five (5) criticisms of Kant's theory that are listed in your text. According to the nearest duty you chose in Question 7, how would this be critiqued by the critics? Explain thoroughly each of the five (5) criticisms of your nearest duty. |
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| 9 | |
What is your opinion to Kant's statement that it is not social status that determines one's standing in the moral universe, but one thing only: the capability to use reason. Explain your opinion and how this is beneficial to society. |
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| 10 | |
Provide an example that would support Kant's statement "Act in such a way that you treat humanity, whether in your own person or in the person of another, always at the same time as an end and never simply as means". |
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