Act in such a way that i always treat humanity

Act in such a way that I always treat humanity, whether in my own person or
in the person of any other, never simply as a means, but always at the same
time as an ends
o Emphasis on intrinsic worth and dignity of rational creatures
o Worthy of consideration in its own right – ends
o Mean – tool
o Always treat people in a way that reflects that we care about them for their
own sake and that they possess the power to make reasoned decisions about
their lives
o Want to respect our own intelligence and others while never interfering with
their decision making
o Recognize that you are a rational being and not inhibit the use of their reason
(prevent them from using reason to decide path of life)
o Ex, arresting someone is treating a means, talking to the person, that is
respecting them as an end
o Nothing more dreadful to a rational being than to make someone else in
charge of their actions - Kant
o Ex, Parents, listen to the child and explain to them why what they did
deserves punishment
o Ex, Managers should consider position of employees before making decision
o Can use people as a means but never ONLY as a means
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find more resources at oneclass.com

 Third Formulation: Autonomous Agents
o Rational agents give people their dignity and worth
 Capacity to rise above compelling forces of desire, self-interest and
physical necessity to act freely on the basis of reasons
 As person is an end to themselves
o Ex, company who checked workers for asbestos poisoning didn’t give results
because there was nothing that could be done
 Violation of rights but AU would agree in short term
o Need to treat others as autonomous agents capable of self-directed, rational
action
o It tells us that we are not allowed to do anything that would prevent other
persons from effectively exercising their reason
 Animals don’t have rationality?
o Deeply concerned with respecting people as rational decision makers
o Doesn’t tell us what do to but what NOT to do
o Never physically coerce people to do anything
 Exception, Incarcerate someone if they are a threat to society and
have committed a crime
 It is universalizable because it protects society even though it
coerces a person.
o Don’t prevent people from using reason to determine their life
o Don’t lie or deceive someone
o Behaving morally is the only time you are allowing people from effectively
exercising their reason
 Never getting in anyone’s way
CI: Full Formulation
 Does the maxim upon I propose to act, make sense as a universal law?
 Would I be treating people with the respect that they deserve as rational beings?
 Would my action violate anyone’s ability to exercise their rational faculties?