Top Posters
Since Sunday
33
11
10
9
8
7
7
7
7
6
6
6
  Ask a Question
Current Questions
Home Q & A Board Other Fields Homework Help Business
New Topic  
wrote...
Go to Answer
Posts: 29
Rep: 0 0
5 months ago
Write a short note on the relationship between maxims and rights. Use examples to support your answer.
Source  Download
Business and Its Environment
Edition: 7th
Author:
Business and Its Environment
Read 14 times
1 Reply
Replies
Answer verified by a subject expert
wrote...
#1
Posts: 186
Rep: 14 0
5 months ago
Sign in or Sign up in seconds to unlock everything.
Kant's system is expressed in terms of maxims which individuals have a moral duty to respect. That duty establishes moral rights. Those moral rights are intrinsic, since they are derived from the categorical imperative and not from other considerations such as consequences.
To illustrate the relationship between maxims, rights, and duties, we can consider the maxim, A firm must sell its product to anyone who wants it, regardless of the price they are willing to pay. This maxim violates the categorical imperative of treating individuals as autonomous ends, since the owners of the firm would be treated as means when forced to sell the product regardless of whether they wanted to do so.
The maxim, A firm must sell its product to anyone who is willing to pay the price set by the firm, satisfies the categorical imperative because it treats everyone as autonomous and as ends. Hence, it is a moral rule. This rule then has implications for rights and duties. First, it establishes property rights as moral rights. Second, it establishes the right of the firm to set the price for its product. Third, it does not allow the firm to distinguish, or discriminate, among buyers based on any considerations other than their willingness to pay the
price set by the firm. This establishes a right not to be discriminated against and a corresponding duty not to discriminate on irrelevant considerations in making sales.
Rights consistent with Kant's system include the freedoms of speech and conscience, since otherwise a person would not be autonomous. Rights also include political equality and the right to vote. Kantian rights require the opportunity to exercise individual autonomy, which includes the right not to be discriminated against on dimensions irrelevant to those opportunities.
The categorical imperative draws a line between a right to opportunity without discrimination and the claim that individuals should be provided with the means to pursue opportunity and hence that others have a duty to provide those means. That claim may treat the recipients as ends and respect their autonomy and freedom, but it does not so treat those who have the duty, since it uses them solely as means for serving others. Consequently, economic rights, such as rights
to food or housing, are not consistent with Kant's ethics system. From this perspective, claims about economic rights are statements about political goals rather than moral rights.
There are thus few rather than many rights that follow from Kant's system. For example, Kant's system allows the voluntary provision of economic goods to individuals but does not compel anyone to provide those goods. In contrast, Rawls's system of justice requires the fair equality of opportunity, which requires that individuals have the means to pursue opportunities.
This verified answer contains over 460 words.
1
Related Topics
New Topic      
Quick Reply
Explore
Post your homework questions and get free online help from our incredible volunteers.
Learn More
Improve Grades
Help Others
Save Time
Accessible 24/7
  200 People Browsing
Start New Topic Take the Tour Study Tips Browse by Textbook New
Your Opinion
Previous poll results: What's your favorite coffee beverage?
Related Images
 105
 75
 12

▶️ Video: Virtual Tour of the Heart

For a complete list of videos, visit our video library