Kant’s Moral Ethics Theory | Report

RUNNING HEAD: Ethics 0
Table of Contents
Introduction................................................................................................................................1
Ethical Theory............................................................................................................................1
Application to Case studies........................................................................................................2
Challenger Disaster................................................................................................................2
Study on WalMart..................................................................................................................3
Enron Scandal........................................................................................................................4
Hacking into Harvard.............................................................................................................5
Parable of a Sadhu..................................................................................................................6
Conclusion..................................................................................................................................7
Bibliography...............................................................................................................................8

ETHICS 1
Introduction
In this assignment the student discusses the ethical theory of deontology propounded
by one of the greatest philosopher Immanuel Kant. The student has also listed out five
different case studies to analyse and study the theory of Immanuel Kant with reference to its
application each case and how the theory explains morality by applying reason in each case
by defining what is good and bad.
Ethical Theory
Kant’s moral ethics theory focuses on duties which he describes as ‘right’, those
actions that we ought to do and ‘wrong’- those action that we ought not to do. This is called
as deontology (Kant, The Metaphysics of Morals. 263). It is a duty based theory where the
actions performed are based on duty and the consequences of those actions are not considered
that is why it is also called as non-consequentialist theory and also criticised by other
philosophers. From the perspective of this theory if a person has to decide what is good or
bad he has to decide it from the universal set of moral rules like killing a man is bad, stealing
is bad, giving food to poor is good etc (Kant, Fundamental Principles of the Metaphysic of
Morals 237).Kant discards an action based on specific desire to be moral and fair. For an
action to be regarded as morally correct it must be universally applicable to all humans. Thus
as per this theory a rational action is one which is accepted universally as the right action
(Schonecker 280).
Kant also describes that the intentions of man performing an action also plays a role
in determining a morally good or a bad action but in case of a duty. As the theory is a duty
based theory so what a duty bound person does is a morally right thing to do, irrespective of
its consequences (R. a. Johnson). So if by doing a right action if a person is causing harm to

ETHICS 2
others he is morally doing the right thing and if doing a wrong thing brings happiness to
people then also the action is considered as morally wrong. This also forms one of the biggest
criticisms of this theory that it is not result based theory.
Application to Case studies
Challenger Disaster
NASA’s Challenger Space Shuttle exploded within few seconds of its launch killing 7
people and the accident was witnessed by millions as it was broadcasted live. This is
considered as one of the biggest disasters which happened due to technical failure about
which the employer, Morton Thiokol was well aware of, but incapacity to make a rational
decision at the time led to such disaster (BBC). Few employees even opposed the launch as
they were highly critical of the situation but their voices were ignored and the rocket was
permitted to launch despite that (McKenna 18).
The disaster could have been avoided had the officials paid heed to the Thiokol
engineers. However after applying the theory of deontology it becomes pertinent to question
were the engineers morally correct? And did they perform their duty? (Reb 191) As per the
theory a person ought to do what is universally acceptable as morally right. In this scenario
the engineers were sceptical of the take-off and their duty was to act on what was right that is
not letting the rocket take off till they were sure that it was safe to fly it. So the engineers did
not perform their duty as they should have and thus were not morally correct in their action.
Informing the higher authority was only one part of their duty the other part being making
sure that shuttle did not fly without proper scrutiny. Not only was it the moral duty of the
engineers but also the officials of NASA and Thiokol both had moral obligation to remove
any doubts regarding the safety of the shuttle and lives of the people in shuttle. The action
performed by them seemed more connected to individual desire of flying the shuttle rather