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Kant's Categorical Imperative Analysis

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Immanuel Kant’s categorical imperative is a theory of ethics. Essentially Kant gives us his definition of what imperative means, which he defines as something that a person has to do. The categorical imperative is something that a person has to do, regardless of the circumstances surrounding that situation. Kant expands on his ethical theory by creating a new idea called a maxim. What a maxim essentially is, is saying what you want to do, and giving reasons why you want to do it.
Kant in the categorical imperative explains a concept of “goodwill”. Kant describes the concept of goodwill will being the only thing that is good in itself. Doing something that you deem as good doesn’t make the act you’re doing morally good, it is the approach or attitude you have towards it. A couple of examples demonstrating goodwill are imagine two individuals who perform the exact same task. The first person can complete the task, but the second person cannot due to external sources. The second person should be praised just as much as the first person regardless of the completion of the task. Both individuals are essentially equal on the moral spectrum. …show more content…

Your boss asks you to work overtime to help more customers. Would working overtime because it will make your boss happy, so you do it without complaints be goodwill? Would working overtime just because you enjoy working overtime be goodwill? Or would you unwillingly work the overtime even though you want to go home be goodwill? The last choice in Kant’s example of goodwill is the correct one. The first option you are helping your boss out of joy and happiness so that means your inclined to do it. The second option you are inclined to help at the store because you enjoy it. The last one is goodwill because like Kant states, doing something out of goodwill means strictly doing because it is a

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