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Student’s Name PHIL 1213 Final Exam December 6, 2016 Kant’s Versus Mill’s Morality Theories Immanuel Kant’s major work was the 'Metaphysics of Morals.” According to him, emotions and desires are conscience driven. The actions that one engages in must be universal so that they can be classified as immoral or moral (Kant, Wood, and Schneewind 93). Kant’s moral philosophy was based on deontological concepts in that he argued that to act in a way that would be considered morally right, one must act from duty. For example, gaining pleasure from watching someone suffer makes the action ethically wrong. In summary, Kant’s views as defined by his categorical imperative concept holds that one should act only according to a maxim that you would readily accept as a universal law. One should also act in a way that treats humanity as both a means and an end. John Mill’s greatest theory was the Utilitarianism theory of morality. According to this theory, the moral worth or usefulness of an action relies on the pleasure and gratification from the action (Mill 127). For example, if the beating of someone ensures that the community lives in peace, this act would be considered moral. This essay compares and contrasts the two philosophical views. It analyzes how each defines the reaction towards a moral dilemma that is identified in the essay. The dilemma in question is from John Eyre by Charlotte Bronte. According to Kant’s theory, the protagonists in the story were morally wrong. Jane Eyre is based on characters evaluating their consciences on facing moral dilemmas. Saint John, Rochester, and Jane all face moral dilemmas throughout the story. For example,
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