Kant Vs Utilitarianism

Daniel Reyhan
Philosophy 146
Paper 1
Question 1 One of the most significant philosophers in today’s world by the name of Immanuel Kant established an ethical theory with Utilitarianism. Kant’s moral theory was identified as difficult to learn, but once understood people understanding it must know the necessities as well. I will be explaining an argument that can support these views, as well as disprove them. One formula that Kant uses is the Formula of the End in Itself. We must recognize what it initially means to treat a person as a means or as an end. One reply to this statement is that we cannot treat people as a means only as an end because it is an immoral action if we carry on this way. In view of these arguments and reply’s, according
In regards to Kant, we as people should come across our maxims of a specific action. Kantians consider “human life is important because humans are the carriers of rational life” (Scholar/Oneill). By stating this it means that society is competent of withholding rational behavior and should not be used on the sole purpose of pleasure from one person to another. On the other hand Utilitarian’s consider that we should do actions that creates the furthermost amount of happiness. The predicament by doing so is that it requires using people as a mere means and may lead to the sacrifice of others for the greater outcome (Scholar/Oneill). It is less difficult to clarify an action as morally right in Kantian ethics as opposed to Utilitarian ethics. In Kantian theory, it proposes more accuracy than utilitarianism this is because a person can commonly tell if someone is being used as a mere means, Kantians “contemplate that solely the request for an action that takes place to them and confirm that these request’s use no others as mere means”(Scholar/Oneill). Thus, it can be seen that Utilitarianism evaluates everything on the fact if it measures to the greatest measure of happiness. Even though Utilitarianism has a larger span than Kantianism, it is a much longer timed manner, the choice making process of calculating all the probable expenses and settlements of an action is very time consuming and leaves small amount of time for endorsing happiness which is utilitarian’s objective (Bennett 63/Scholar). One example that I wanted to share between Kantians and Utilitarian’s point of view on lying is a case during World War 2 with the Nazis in Germany. Supposedly you come across a family that needs sheltering, you know they are going to die if you don’t take them in, but if you take them in they have a chance of living. Lets say a soldier