A term that Kant uses to help define when an action is morally acceptable is maxim, which is “the principle of an action you give yourself when you are about to do something.” (Shafer-Landau. 2014. pg162). Which describes what you are about to do, and why you are going to do. The only thing according to Kant that has intrinsic value would be the goodwill. He believes that the good will is the only good without restrictions. The goodwill is characterized to be “good-in-itself.” He establishes moral decisions on the structure of an agent by good incentives, aspects and appreciation of the law. A moral agent would do a specific action not because of what it creates, as with past experience, but that they will understand by reasoning that that specific action is the morally correct thing to do. The rule that Kant requires for self-sufficient motives and that it applies to everyone is categorical imperative. This gives us a way to figure out moral actions and to make moral reasoning. It is a method by which to decide any action to be what might be morally important. To Kant, the moral law is universal and rational. The categorical imperative is the way of developing the foundation for any action that can fulfill universality and …show more content…
2014. pg121). The action that is optimific in Termeh’s case would be to lie, for the sake of the family to be happy.
For the Kantian perspective, Kant has to principles, Principle of Universalizability and Principle of Humanity. They help to decide whether we are being fair and consistent. Kant says that our maxim is universable, so we are doing acts for reasons that everyone could abide by. But if we cannot aim for everyone to do that same action, whatever it may be, than we cannot do it. For the Principle of Universalizability there are a couple of steps to help.
The first step is to “formulate your maxim clearly – state what you intend to do, and why you intend to do it.” (Shafer-Landau. 2014. pg164). Termeh’s intention is to lie, and her intentions on why she is lying are because she can defend her father from being responsible of the baby’s