Is Kantian Moral Philosophy Inferior - 2034 Words

Is Kantian Moral Philosophy Superior To Utilitarianism And Feminist Ethics? Kantianism, Utilitarianism and Feminist ethics are the three main theories in the field of morality. The assumptions and arguments made by the respective theories vary in their approach. This paper examines the different theories and highlights the strength and weakness of each with examples. The goal of this paper is to support my claim that Kantianism provides a more substantive answer to the question of morality and good life compared to either Utilitarianism or Feminist Ethics. TELEOLOGICAL AND DEONTOLOGICAL ETHICS Moral philosophy till recently (20th century) was dominated by masculine concepts. The two main masculine moral philosophies are based on theories propounded by Jeremy Bentham and John Stuart Mill called Utilitarian and by Immanuel Kant and W.D. Ross broadly termed as Kantianism. Traditionally, moral philosophers have posited one against the other; as alternative ethical theories. Utilitarian theorists have looked upon this ethical dilemma as consequential meaning the outcome of an act defines the act as ethical or unethical. This is classified as teleological ethics. Kantianism on the other hand lays emphasis purely on the act itself, immaterial of the consequences. This means that an act is ethical if done for the right reasons. This is called deontological ethics. To illustrate the difference between utilitarianism and deontological ethical theories, we may exposeShow MoreRelatedThe Moral Dispute Of John Stuart Mill And Immanuel Kant1500 Words   |  6 Pagesethical path rendering reward with heaven. Aristotle’s theory and argument will be explored further in this review along with the works of some of his successors. The Moral Dispute John Stuart Mill vs Immanuel Kant Philosopher John Stuart Mill’s theory highlights utilitarianism and Kantian theory would be the total opposite. 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