Categorical Imperative In Kantian Ethics

I believe Beth’s decision to end her life is morally justified, despite the reservations her family might have. In this case, we will look at two aspects which would support Beth’s decision: a maxim turned Categorical Imperative in Kantian ethics, and the principle of autonomy.

In Kantian ethics, the consequences of an action are irrelevant, only the intentions behind one’s actions can be judged to be morally right or wrong. The reason behind one’s actions can be based on one’s maxim, furthermore, “if they pass the test imposed by the categorical Imperative, then we can say that such actions are right” (479). When a maxim passes the test, it gains the status of an objective rule of morality that holds for everyone. A possible Maxim which could

Initially, the Doctor was against helping Beth end her life, but then agreed with Beth. The situation Beth placed the Doctor in could have been seen as coercion, forced. Beth was going through extraordinary measure to see that her point was coming across, she wanted to die. Through her actions, Beth could be seen as having forced the Doctor’s hand, which could be seen as an infringement on the Doctor’s autonomy. Some may argue that Beth’s autonomy was already compromised when she was only given the choice between living a life she deemed to be not worth living and death. The Psychiatrist that was brought in has her own way of diagnosing Beth, and could only work with what she had. If the Psychiatrist had come to another diagnosis, then the Doctor and Beth’s family would have had more power to override Beth’s autonomy. If not, Beth’s family could still have brought their case in front of a court to try and overturn Beth’s decision. Though, this would be a desperate failed attempt to hold on to their loved one, and might do more harm than good, alienating Beth from her family. Lastly, the media coverage could be forcing both Beth’s and her families hand, her story is being distributed without her consent, inadvertently burdening Beth with the opinions of outsiders. Some matters, such as this tragic car accident and the possible outcomes should not be partial to the opinions of others, but specifically to the wishes of the one in the hot seat, Beth. But, with the complexity of the parties involved, Beth alone cannot really provide a truly impartial decision on what should be done, since she is limited in the choices available to