Philosophy 2: Society and Values  

Pierce College

Department of History, Philosophy, & Sociology

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Group Exercise for Kant and Consequences

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(Notes on the importance of group exercises.) 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In this activity, each group works on understanding the role of consequences in Kant's ethical thought.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ethical Claims (a through f):

 

a) Professors should give out A's because that makes students happy.

 

b) Parking spots should be reserved for those who show up early only.

 

c) People shouldn't be generous.

 

d) Watching Gladiators fight lions is morally okay.

 

e) Cheating is okay, as long as you don't get caught.

 

f) Showering for an hour to help undo daily stress is morally good. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In groups:

 

1) Choose an ethical situation from that list to center your discussion on.  (We'll do this step together as a whole class so that each group is working on different ethical situations.)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2) Stipulate (make up) a situation where your group's ethical claim would make sense. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3) Fabricate a set of consequences (four total: one consequence that is petty, realistic and likely; one consequences that is important/serious, realistic and likely; one consequence that is petty, unrealistic and unlikely; and one consequences that is important/serious, unrealistic and unlikely) that could happen if your group's ethical claim was followed in the situation you've stipulated in 2), above. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

4) Explain why Kant would argue that none of those consequences you've crafted in 3) are relevant for determining the moral goodness or moral badness of following through with your group's ethical claim.   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

5) Present your explanation in 4), above to the class.