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Immanuel Kant Vs Aristotle

544 Words3 Pages

As I was rummaging through the list of philosophers, Googling back and forth between each name, I decided that I resonated the most with Immanuel Kant’s ideas of ethics. One thought that I liked that Kant had was that he believes that one should make decisions or do something based on whether or not they think it is the right thing to do and if they believe it is in fact their “duty” to do so. This idea makes him a Deontologist. I decided to focus on this particular thought because it contrasts with Aristotle’s ideas, as Aristotle is a philosopher that we have studied. Along with this, I do agree with Kant’s idea that a person should do something such as tell the truth or aid someone in need if it is the right thing to do. Kant’s idea differs from Aristotle’s theory in a couple of ways. For starters, Kant believes that one should make decisions or do something based on whether or not they think it is the right thing to …show more content…

A person chooses to do something according to the “maxim,” or principle, and is only motivated by these principles, while with Aristotle’s theory, the idea of happiness is what motivates the person to carry out their actions. Aristotelianism focuses on what the best person to be is, while Deontology focuses on what the best thing to do is. I believe that people should not be virtuous or doing the right thing if it will make their image or who they are look better. I believe that if one honestly thinks that an action is the right thing to do, then they should carry out that action. For example, if I were in a situation in which I know a friend of mine witnessed a crime happen, I would tell her to do what she thinks is morally right, whether it was to ignore the situation

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Deontological ethics is normative ethics theory which judges an action based on the rules rather than consequence of actions. The chief good of duty-based ethics as per Kant’s duty ethics is good will, which is most important factor that should be aimed to achieve or to do something that’s morally right. The decision-making factors in Kant’s deontology which determine if an action is morally right or wrong is having a good will, and doing duty for its own sake rather than for a benefit that results from the action. One of the ways decision-making factors can guide to determine morality of an action is to first, determine if motive of action was good or bad since good will is chief good in Kant’s duty ethics, and then determine if action was driven by self-interest or for the sake of duty because another factor requires in Kant’s duty ethics that duty to be done sake of or out respect for the moral law. First, quotes from Kant’s Grounding the Metaphysics of the Morals which supports Kant’s theory is “A good will is not good because of what it effects or accomplishes, nor because of its fitness to attain some proposed end; it is good through willing its willing, i.e. it is good in itself.”

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Immanuel Kant’s categorical imperative and John Stuart Mill’s view of utilitarianism are two very different approaches to ethics and morals. In fact, they are the opposite of one another. Kant’s view of ethics is an ethics of pure reason- a deontological theory of ethics. He stresses that feelings and emotions should have no part in ethics because they are unreliable, changeable, and uncertain. He states that ethical principles must be universal and that ethics are distinctively human.

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Nietzsche Vs Aristotle

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In The Birth of Tragedy, Friedrich Nietzsche’s descriptions of the Apollonian and Dionysian align with the writings of Immanuel Kant and Karl Marx, respectively. In Kant’s writing, he argues that man can eventually progress towards a utopian state from man’s reason. However, Kant’s picture of human nature is one of a lawful progression towards the utopian state. When outlining the characteristics of the Apollonian state, Nietzsche explains that there is a “delicate line, which the dream-picture must not overstep…that measured limitation, that freedom from the wilder emotions, that philosophical calmness of the sculptor-god” (Nietzsche, 2).

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Kant's Deontology: The Final Ethical Theory

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However, even though these are two opposing philosophies, with very different ideas governing their conclusions, we should look to learn from both and apply the knowledge we identify with, thus creating our own philosophies. In this essay I wish to do exactly that; to compare and contrast these two ideologies in order to better understand them and help others do the same. First we must understand what is Deontology. The word deontology when broken down to its roots literally means, the study of the nature of duty and obligation.

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1536 Words | 7 Pages

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1515 Words | 7 Pages

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