In this assignment you are going to present Kantian arguments against
the taking of recreational drugs that are currently illegal in the
U.S., such as heroin, cocaine, and ecstasy. Do not discuss laws or
illegality; just stick to the questions as they are written and number
your answers.
Use the following maxim: In order to maximize my pleasure, I will
take recreational drugs whenever I feel like it.
1.Explain why this maxim is self-defeating, i.e.could not be imagined
as a universal law for all rational beings. This should include what
a world would look like in which all rational beings followed the
maxim and why you could not achieve the purpose or end of the maxim in
such a world. Kant thinks that we are not really in freedom if we are only looking for pleasure or desire and avoiding pains. By meeting our instinctive needs and become slaves of our desires and impulse.
2.Explain why following this maxim (i.e. taking recreational drugs)
would interfere with your fulfilling imperfect duties to yourself and
to other people.
Imperfect duties are laxer duties, which means you will be free to choose what you want to do to promote yourself. We choose to exercise to get health but we can accord our ability to set the exercise schedule. Taking recreational drugs to maximize our pleasure can’t provide us any promotion to neither to ourselves nor to the society besides getting high temporary. It is a process do not need you do anything to yourself or to society except taking drugs. And if everyone are addict to bring by drugs their life will get worse because they find that they can get pleasure so easily. And finally people may stop doing anything to get pleasure because they already have.
3.Explain why following this maxim fails to treat yourself with
respect.
Kant believe that human being’s rational ability make us different and distinguish with animals.
4.Explain why following this maxim would likely lead you to fail
to treat other people with respect.
As usual, papers are to be typed, standard font, double-spaced and run
@1,000 wds. (@4 pp.). Do not present an introduction. Answer each
question separately and number your answers appropriately.
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