Ethics: Debates
Group assignments will be done by groups indicated below
Debate 1: Abuse or Discipline?
What is morality? How do you make moral decisions? Suppose that you are trying to decide whether you friend, who is from another culture, tells you that punishing children by locking them up in a dark room for a week for each offense is morally permissible. What would you say and why?
Debate 2: Saving one or five?
Write a three-page paper -it must be typed -on the following question: Suppose that you are driving a train when you come to realize that the breaks do not work. You cannot stop the train. You can only direct it towards two tracks: if you chose the first track, one worker -who has no time to get out -will be killed; if you chose the second track, five workers -who have no time to get out -will be killed. Which action is morally permissible to do and why?
Extra Credit
Write a two-three page paper (12 size fond, 1.5-double spaced) addressing the following question: Kant says that hypothetical imperatives differ from categorical ones. Explain in detail how they differ making sure to provide examples. Make sure to address the difference regarding what makes hypothetical and categorical imperatives possible (in other words, what does he mean when he says that hypothetical imperatives are possible due to desires but categorical imperatives are possible due to reason; why whether they are possible or not matters to Kant?). In answering this question, you should first explain what, according to Kant, determines which actions are going to be good and why and the role these imperatives play in his theory.
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