Dishonesty in the View of Immanuel Kant Immanuel Kant is famous for his powerful insight on dishonesty and lying, and even more noticed for his strong view on moral philosophy. This essay will discuss Kant’s sharp view on lying and largely on dishonesty, while assessing Kant’s arguments for the claims he makes on the topic. I will then apply Kant’s views on dishonesty and lying to his relationship with his follower Maria Van Herbert and challenge Kant’s moral philosophy, based mainly around fulfilling duties, when it is viewed in the terms of this relationship.
Kant’s views on lying and dishonesty are very prominent in his letters sent to Maria von Herbert, which can be seen through the writings of contemporary philosopher Rae Langton in…show more content… I believe that Kant does not ideally demonstrate his morals that he so famously argues, while articulating my ideas that are formed while reading Deciding What Is Right in comparison to Kant’s Normative Ethics: Deontology. I personally believe that Kant did not fulfill his main duty that was presented to him through the letter due to the violation of one of the main duties imposed on him, being the duty to help. Kant strongly discusses the importance of friendship, and when asked to help and pushed with difficult questions and challenges to his theories he abandons this woman who he calls in the begging, a friend, which brings upon him some hypocritical traits. If Kant did have the intention of fulfilling the duty of helping Maria von Herbert, I believe that he would have been more useful and supportive in the advice that he gave. The Universal and Humanity Law can be seen through how Kant views Maria as a means and not an end, specifically in the way he uses her as an example and his inability to respond to her last letter begging for explanation and an insight into his personal life. This can be seen through the Universal Law, while I also believe that Kant’s failure of this duty can be seen through Maria’s suicide. Although Maria was miserable and lost interest in life and blame should not be directly placed on Kant, there was no effort made to go beyond and help her even when told by their mutual friend J.B. Erhard that there was still a hope to be saved