The Deepest Human Life and Kant's Ethics Essay

Human beings are Gods creation and as a result, their morality is paramount and can be summed up in an imperative that is due to the reason that in return drives their duties. Categorical imperative (CI) is as a result of the rational standard of morality. Irrespective of the human desires that have inclinations that are contrary, it is crucial to follow the CI. With the help of the CI, all possible moral requirements are justified as a result any action that violates this principle is immoral. Kant uses his principle to elaborate on the ethics of lying (truthful speaking). He uses CI to differentiate between perfect and imperfect duties he elaborates on the subject of suicide, talent and potentials among humanity he also gives an insight on beneficence. Nonetheless, Kant attempts to use these duties to resolve potential conflicts from moral duties.

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Kant divided duties into two: perfect and imperfect duties. The former is a duty to oneself belonging to the doctrine of virtue while external duty is a duty to others and is categorized in the doctrine of virtue. According to Kant, a perfect duty holds true and he insists that it's a perfect duty never to tell lies. Consequently, an imperfect duty results in flexibility, for instance, beneficence is as a result of imperfect duty because it's not an obligation that all the times one should be in complete beneficence. It allows one to choose when and where to be beneficence. He believed that perfect duties were crucial than imperfect duties and in cases where there is a conflict on duties it only proper to follow perfect duty (Dierksmeier 598).

According to Kant Lying is wrong, morally it has never been right to tell lies. Kant feels that all human beings have intrinsic value that they refer to as dignity that human beings need to use when it comes to making decisions independently. The moral capacity of a human being is corrupt by lying. Lying also prevent other people's actions hence failing to act freely and rationally (Dierksmeier 598).

Kant's feelings on suicide were furious, he felt that suicide is not a permissible circumstance and the person who commits suicide is worse than beasts. According to him there is nothing as horrible as suicide and any attempt for the man to survive is discarding to humanity, this is someone who should be used as a thing of the lowest value in society. He feels that God owns man and man is not entitled to dispose of his life (Vong 656).

Kant feels that human beings out to develop their talents and potentials he insists that they have a duty to do so. Talent is grouped under imperfect duties since these are abilities that others can benefit from. He justifies his argument stating that as human beings we get to appoint in life where we need help hence the importance of our potentials. Secondly, he feels that it is categorically imperative to seek out potentials and talents to use them universally to others and have the same back from others (Guyer 12).

According to Kant, humanity has the duty of being beneficent. He explains that its humanity's responsibility to help others by showing them mercy and kindness without necessary hopping for personal gains. From a friendly inclination, he feels that these beneficence needs to be unlimited. However, the beneficence that comes with duty fails to incorporate the unlimited demands an individual can have (Mansell 587).

Nonetheless, Kant is not precise on the extent of his principles. For instance, on duty to beneficence although one has a duty to benefit others without expecting any recompense there is no limit on how long this should take(Mansell 587). Therefore it is crucial to conclude that it's everyone's duty to be beneficent but limited to the individuals. Consequently, the duty of not telling lays conflicts with other duties of morality. If Kant feels that lying is wrong irrespective of the circumstance, then the duty not to tell lies should be the most crucial duty compared to any other conflicting duty.

Critics feel that there are instances where one does not have to tell the truth since telling the truth tends to worsen the current situation of matters. It is crucial to always incorporate the little white lies when the circumstance is shaky. However, Kant answers this stating that it is implausible to insist that the duty not to tell lies is superior to any other duty. Critics on this feel that Kant is wrong when he tends to refer to a human being as a thing. He supports morality and humanity but his statement on suicide dilutes it all. If another person is treated a thing, this is to mean that the one who is acting superior is humiliating the other party. If one decided to commit suicide it is not someone will but his decision to act in this manner. He could just be trying to end his misery and the life he feels is pointless (Vong 656).

The duties identified by Kant often result in potential conflict and as a result, one needs a moral standard to help solve these duties. The duty not to tell lies is a perfect duty while the duty to beneficence is an imperfect duty (Guyer 12). In case one is caught in between, according to Kant he should first consider solving the perfect duty and later the imperfect one. In a case, an individual is hiding someone who has defiled the law as a sign of showing mercy to the individual and he is later asked by the police officers whether he has seen the suspect, according to Kant, the person hiding the suspect should tell the truth. Since the perfect duty comes first before the imperfect duty hence solving potential conflict using the moral standard.

Conclusion

In conclusion, from Kant's argument there is sufficient moral guidance to adopt. His arguments are rooted in the religious teaching of how God owns the creation and according to his arguments Peoples actions should be similar to what God expects of us. It is for this reason that he tends to divide duties into two to help reduce some of the existing dilemmas that might result when solving a conflict in life. The benefits of Kant's views are that one tends to act as expected by God and lives within the religious doctrines. Kant's moral lessons are essential in helping culture fruitful values amongst citizens. However, his views face various difficulties, for instance, his stand on telling lies fails to he fails to prove how wrong lying is. He fails to give direct appeal to the categorical imperative to prove how lying is wrong. Universally, individuals tend to follow maxims that do not limit lying to being a wrongful act. Kant might attempt to solve this by using more examples of damages caused by saying lies and hiding the truth.

Works cited

Guyer, Paul. "Passion for Reason: Hume, Kant, and the Motivation for Morality." Proceedings and Addresses of the American Philosophical Association, vol. 86, no. 2, 2012, pp. 4-21. JSTOR, JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/43661296.

Dierksmeier, Claus. "Kant on Virtue." Journal of Business Ethics, vol. 113, no. 4, 2013, pp. 597-609. JSTOR, JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/23433685.

Mansell, Samuel. "Shareholder Theory and Kant's 'Duty of Beneficence'." Journal of Business Ethics, vol. 117, no. 3, 2013, pp. 583-599. JSTOR, JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/42001872.

Vong, G. "In Defence of Kant's Moral Prohibition on Suicide Solely to Avoid Suffering." Journal of Medical Ethics, vol. 34, no. 9, 2008, pp. 655-657. JSTOR, JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/27720168.