Application of Kantian Deontology

Applying Kantian Deontology
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Applying Kantian Deontology
Kantian Deontology
Kantian deontology can be described briefly as an ethical theory that uses riles to differentiate between right and wrong. The theory is associated with a German philosopher, Emanuel Kant. The basic questions that Kantian ethics seek to answer revolve around what is considered right or wrong. Examples of these questions include what makes an action right or wrong, what actions morality requires us to perform, whether consequences matter, whether it is important that actions have good intentions, and what good intentions are. In answering these questions, Kant’s arguments often hint at the observation that consequences do not matter, which means that good consequences cannot justify wrong actions. Similarly, Kant thinks that intentions are necessary, which means that intentions form a critical part of the ethical evaluation of actions.
Kantian deontology focuses on duties, which are defined by right and wrong. Right actions can be described as those that individuals ought to do or are morally required to do. On the contrary, wrong actions are those that people ought not to do or are morally forbidden. Kant also believes that morality must be rational as he models morality on science. Scientific modeling is intended to discover the universal laws that govern the natural world. Therefore, morality becomes a system of universal rules governing all human actions, which also implies that right actions are rational actions. Ethics, in Kant's view, comprises commands about what is morally expected of people and their actions.
The Challenger Disaster
Case Summary
The Challenger disaster that took place in 1986 involved an explosion of a space shuttle, which resulted in the death of seven astronauts on board. After the incident, the space program had to be grounded until it was deemed safe to fly. The investigations that were conducted revealed that the cause of the explosion was the failure of the O-rings to seal in the booster rocket joints. The failure is associated with lower temperatures than usual on that day in Florida. Even though the causes seemed to be natural, other details of the incident indicate the possibility of human error and negligence. For example, there were concerns about the O-rings, but these were ignored, and the people who raised the concerns were punished (More questions and alternative scenarios for the Challenger disaster). This way, it is apparent that the company responsible for these O-rings, Morton Thiokol, Inc., acted negligently and endangered the program and the safety of the people involved.
Other details of the case include investigations that had been done a year earlier to address the concerns that low temperatures could compromise the critical joints and seals in the booster rockets of the shuttle. Boisjoly, the individual who conducted the research, advised his superiors about these concerns, but they failed to view the matter as urgent. Boisjoly and other engineers also opposed the launch before the Challenger liftoff due to the low temperatures. However, Thiokol senior managers overruled the engineers after NASA officials objected.
Theory Application
In this case, kantian deontology can be applied to illustrate how various individuals engaged in unethical actions. Boisjoly and fellow engineers who opposed the launch acted ethically. The rationale is that their actions were moral and rational since they had good intentions. In this case, the intention was the safety of the astronauts and the program itself, which was compromised by low temperatures. Acting as a whistleblower is often an action that results when critical concerns are ignored. On their part, the engineers were ethical since their actions were rights. On the contrary, Thiokol’s management and NASA officials were unethical since their actions were wrong. In other words, they ignored warnings from experts, who had a better understanding of the potential consequences of launching the shuttle under conditions of low temperatures. Kantian deontology dictates that moral actions are rational, and both NASA and Thiokol officials were irrational to authorize the launch of a shuttle when the safety of the astronauts was in jeopardy.
Enron
Case Summary
By 2002, Enron was ranked as the fifth-largest company in the United States. Enron's case is one of fraud and corruption by the board and executives where the actions taken were intended to enrich the individuals at the expense of the shareholders and other internal stakeholders, including the employees. Enron was helped by investment bankers, accountants, and other firms to hide the company’s debt and inflate its stock price through a series of off-the-books partnerships. A conflict of interest emerged when Enron’s executives managed these partnerships and benefited financially from them. Enron’s employees lost their 401(K) plans as the stock prices plummeted (Enron). Even though the people involved faces tough legal actions, it can be argued that the harm that was done was excessive for some stakeholders.
Enron’s case can be understood as a failure of both the firm and the traditional gatekeepers, including the auditors, the board, investment bankers, lawyers, and the rating agencies. All these groups played a significant role in the events that unfolded. For example, the rating agencies deferred downgrading of Enron, which allowed a merger to occur, which should not have happened in the first place. Investment bankers developed the elaborate scheme used by Enron to hide its debts, while the accounting firm had its audit compromised. The lawyers were paid a massive fee for their role, and the list of accomplices grew larger (Enron). Overall, Enron’s case hints at the collusion between multiple stakeholders seeking selfish gains.
Theory Application
Kantian deontology can be used to evaluate the ethics of the actions taken by various groups of people. All of the contributing actions are inherently wrong, considering that the intentions themselves were immoral. The consequences of the selfish deeds have included the collapse of the company and financial damages that extended to the employees and the shareholders. H...