JasrielleWestmoreland Mr.Argetsinger PhilosophyA5 14March2012 ImmanuelKantandDavidHume InthisscenarioIhavebeencalledinforabriefingwithmilitaryadvisorsaboutarecently capturedwellknownterrorist,andhisfamily.Themanbelongstoaterroristorganizationthatisplanning onattackingtheU.S.verysoon.Theterroristhasnttalkedintheinterrogation,andisnotgoingto cooperate.Sincemanylivesarebeingjeopardized,Ihavebeengivenachoiceoftorturingandkilling thefamilyoftheterroristtogethimtotalk,andsavethousandsofAmericanslives.However,Ibelieve thatthismethodisimmoralandwrongevenifthismanisaterrorist,Ibelievethatnooneshouldbe treatedinsuchaway.

Humesmoraltheorywouldprobablyadvisemetokillthemanbutnothisfamilybecause showsnosympathytowardshim.Humebelievedthatoursympathyisthereasonforourtraitsand actions.Inadditiontosympathyforourfellowmanbeingthefoundationofourmoralobligation.Also thatthereareartificialvirtuesthatdependentonbothcharactertraits,andrespectforconventionalrules.

Humemayagreewithtorturingtheterroristfamilybutnotkillingthembecausehewouldtake intoaccounttheprioractionsoftheterroristandthinkofthelivesthatmaybelostifwedontdo somethingtogethimtalkingandgetinformationthatcouldsavemanylives.HoweverHumewould neveragreetomurderingtheterroristbecausemurdercantbejustified,byanyprioractiontheterrorist

mayhavedone,atallbyvirtue.Humestheorymakesthepointthateventhoughwedontlikeitwhen somebodykillsanotherperson,thereisnothingillogicalabouttheactionofthemurder.Contrary,Hume doesntoverlooktheactofmurder,butbelievesthatimmoralactionsarenotimmoralbecausetheyare irrationalandmurderwouldbebannedbecauseitisnotanactionthatcanbeuniversallyjustifiedas goodforeveryone.

Ontheotherhand,Kantstheorybelievedthatcertaintypesofactions,likemurdering,and torturing,wereprohibited,eveniftheactionwouldbringmorehappinessthanifwechosenottokilland torture.ForKantians,thereareisonequestionsthatwemustaskourselveswheneverwedecideto act:DoIwantmywilltobecomeauniversallaw?Ifweweretoanswerno,thenwewouldntperform theaction.Kantalsoarguesthattherightnessorwrongnessoftheactionswearedoingdoesntdepend ontheconsequences,butontheintentionsoftheaction

BythistheoryKantmaysaythatitisokaytokillandtorturetheterroristfamilybecauseour intentionsaretogetinformationthatmaysavelives.However,Kantwouldthenaskwhetherthiscould becomeauniversallawandconcludethatitispermissibletokillandtorture,bymakingthisauniversal laweveryone,everywherewillbeallowedtocommittheseactionsWhichwouldleadtomoreliveslost thanifIwerenottokillandtorturehisfamilyandtheplannedterroristattackoccurskillingalotof people.Therefore,IshouldnotkillortorturehisfamilybecauseIwouldnotwillthistobecomea universallaw.

Ibelievethatneitherthismannorhisfamilyshouldbetorturedorkilledbecauseitswrongto

murdersomebodytobringhappinesstoanother.Ifthiswasthecasethatmurderisacceptedbecauseit bringshappiness,thenallmurdersandkillingswouldbejustifiedforthemurderersHowever,theactof murderwouldnotcontributetothehappinessofthevictimsfamily.Overall,IwouldagreewithKants theorybecauseevenapersonguiltysuchactsofaterrorististobetreatedwithacertainsortofself respect,becauseheisstillapersonwithanendinhimself.