Kant's Theory

Immanuel Kant criticized previous ethical theories, as moral obligations do not come for humans, their cultures or God. Moral obligations are not from any other source but reasons, according to Kant. We have duties to perform which shows we have common sense. Kant states when something is done out of inclination to yourself, it is not considered moral. For example, when you go to the bank to cash your check in the amount of $350.00. You leave the bank without counting your money. When you return to your car, you decide to count the money and notice that the teller gave you $450. You have the moral obligation to take the money back to the teller and let her know she gave you too much money.

Autonomy as Kant believes means a free will to live as you please. To live free will you would do want you want, when you want no questions asked. Kant believes that to be enslaved by someone else's beliefs and rules is heteronomy. Some stars are enslaved by the greed of the money and the fame. They live by the wants and needs of other people, which push them into fame.

Categorical imperative has several different versions, and they all are connected together. The Formula of Universal Law: doing things for self or others because it is your duty. Example: it's a duty to serve of our country and our freedom. We "ought" to do this on our own free will. Formula of the End Itself: demanding respect from someone. For example, deceivers make it entirely impossible for their victims to consent to the deceiver's project (Singer, 2003, p. 179). If we fail to treat others with respect and dignity, then we fail ourselves. The remaining formulations of the Categorical Imperative "kingdom of Ends": to have self-control, bound by law and also respect for others (Singer, 2003, p.179). Together the perspectives of the one who seeks to act on principles that all other share and to respect all others can be self-legislating.

Categorical imperative provides for autonomous ethical choice by willing something to become universal law. For example, hypothetical wanting something to happen or that it is going to happen without us thinking how or why it is happening. In order to complete a task, we have to think hypothetical to determine the end results. Therefore, it should not be done, if it cannot become universal. For example, a child steals from a store. Then he tries to rationalize his behavior to see if it can be universal.

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