Kant's four examples: some comments

Kant's four examples were chosen to illustrate perfect duties to self and others and imperfect duties to self and others.

1. Suicide — a perfect duty to self not to commit suicide.
2. False promising — a perfect duty to others not to make false promises.
3. Failing to develop one's talents — an imperfect duty to self to develop one's talents.
4. Not helping those in need — an imperfect duty to others to give help to those in need.

Although some of Kant's examples may be more convincing than others, all of them raise issues for the application of the categorical imperative.

Select from the four buttons below for comments on each of the four examples.

 

 

 

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