PHI1600 SPC Applying Kantian Ethics Practice Article Summary

Practice applying Kantian Ethics and earn extra credit

  • You must submit this assignment in the Extra Credit Drop Box – to receive credit.

Extra Credit Assignment

Find an ethical issue which occurred within the last year in the USA or find an ethical issue faced by a fictional character.

TITLE – type the name of the person or article title and the philosophy you are applying.

Example – President Bush – Kant

If you use an article be sure your article was published within the last year.

  • SUMMARIZE – In paragraph one give a summary of the article/person/character, in case I am not familiar with them.
  • ETHICAL ISSUE – State the ethical issue that person faced – Use proper format – Make it bold print – SHOULD …………?.
  • APPLICATION – Using the steps outlined in your text, apply each step of Kantian Ethics to the situation. Fully show your application.
  • CONCLUSION (last step in the application) – Choose the best option. If that person were a true Kantian – what would that person have done. What would the Kantian theory say is the morally right or best thing to do?
  • See the sample format below

SAMPLE FORMATApply Kantian Ethics

  • What should X do about ________________?1. List possible options. Options1. X could ____________________________________.2. X could ____________________________________.3. X could ____________________________________.4. X could ____________________________________.Apply Categorical Imperative/Universality1. X could ____________________________________. Would I want all people, consistently, universally to _____________________? YesApply universality to all of the options. Apply Respect (to remaining options) Is X exploiting someone (using someone for her own benefit)1. X could ____________________________________. Is X exploiting anyone (using someone as a means to an end for her own gain)? No (so this is a good option)Apply respect to all of the options. Conclusion – If X were a Kantian she could use options 1, 3 or 4 (or some combination of all three if necessary).