Bio of Immanuel Kant
...rporate personal and sometimes selfish considerations into the process of ethical determinations; this does not negate the moral applications of these choices. At the same time, Kant's theories call in to question whether the effects of moral choices, whether good or not, are considered good simply because of the intention of the individual making the determination. The central principle of his ethical theory is what he calls the categorical imperative which the basis of morality and was stated by Kant in these words: “Act as if the maxim of your action were to become through your will a general natural law.” In the Metaphysic of Ethics Kant describes his ethical system, which is based on his belief that the reason is the final authority of morality. Actions of any sort must be undertaken from a sense of duty dictated by reason, and no action performed in obedience to law or custom can be regarded as moral. Kant describes two types of commands given by reason which are hypothetical imperative which states a given course of action to a reach specific end; and the categorical imperative, which dictates a course of action that must be followed because of the its rightness and necessity. He offers several formulas of this principle. Two of these formulas are the universal law (categorical imperative) and the end in itself (hypothetical imperative). The formula of universal law states, “act only on the maxim whereby you can at the same time will that it should be a universal law”, which is the morality of action. When applying the universal law when deciding to perform an action, I should follow a few steps. One is formulate the maxim of the action or figure out what general principle that is being acted on if the action was to be performed. Then universalize the maxim meaning what would everyone do if the situations were this. Next determine whether the universalized maxim could be a universal law, that is, whether it is possible for everyone to act, as the universalized maxim requires. Finally ask the question, “If maxim was universal law could it be willed?” If the maxim could be an universal law, but the will could not be a universal law, the there is a imperfect dut...