Description
Ysabella—I was very intrigued with the topics we learned this week. Even though it was a bunch of information, I shall do my best to answer the second question which fascinated me the most.
Kant believed that lying was morally wrong in all aspects, and you should always tell the truth in every situation. If someone were to lie, then that could lead everyone to always lie, which in turn would make a world where there would be no truth in what people say, so no one would ever believe each other.
As much as I want to agree that telling the truth is what should always be done, I can’t find myself fully agreeing with Kant on it. I say that because in my line of work, if there is a severe injury or high-stress/traumatic environment, I’ve said things to people in order to help keep them calm as to not cause more injury and to prevent the situation from escalating more than it already has. I do that to keep people calm, and provide hope that everything will be okay in the end, which overall helps me maintain control of the scene.
I think that lying is not always inherently morally wrong, unless if it was at the expense of others for your own selfish gain. Such as stealing something that wasn’t yours from someone, (i.e. money) and not being honest about doing it and having no intention to give it back. This is an instance where I think Kant is right about lying being deceitful and wrong because it shows disrespect to those affected, which goes against the second formulation because you are using that person for no one else’s benefit but your own.
Additionally, I think peoples answer to whether lying is right or wrong per Kant’s theory varies from person to person, based on experiences in their own life. Some might say he’s correct, and others might disagree with his logic. Due to this, I can’t say whether Kant is fully right or wrong in his theory, because I can see instances where his logic should be applied, but also instances where it shouldn’t.
I find this topic very interesting and look forward to reading your thoughts! Have a great rest of the week!
TROY —So, I’ve been thinking of this debate between deontology and utilitarianism, and honestly, it’s rather complex. However after that there’s phenomenology and existentialism, and they resemble searching for a middle path or something different from the normal things we’ve been discovering.
To start, phenomenology revolves around our individual experiences and emotions, which is rather logical to me. It recommends that our assumption of right or incorrect is influenced by our private experiences. I locate this remarkable since each person’s life is special, and what might be thought about right for one person may not be the same for another person. It feels much more authentic contrasted to merely adhering to predetermined rules or striving to please the majority. Then there’s existentialism, which has to do with making your own options and being accountable for them. This set’s beautiful fascinating since it places all the responsibility on us to determine what we think is right or wrong. I like this idea since it makes you think of your selections and not just do something since someone said it’s right. It’s type of terrifying yet also cool down to assume that we reach decide what our morals are.
Comparing both, phenomenology and existentialism appear to offer something different than the usual ‘do this since it’s your responsibility’ or ‘do that because it makes most people delighted’ kind of reasoning. Phenomenology is a lot more regarding what you feel and experience, while existentialism has to do with making your own options and dealing with them. Are these new theories extra reliable than the previous ones? I think they could be. They seem a lot more adaptable and straighten more effortlessly with the truths of daily life. Individuals differ, and what shows effective for a single person might not necessarily work for an additional. These fresh ideas allow us to contemplate principles in our very own special manner, drawing from our own experiences and decisions.
