Kantian Ethics

Kant’s Four Questions from the parent’s point of view

1. What is my motivation for doing this?

2. What is the general principle involved?

3. What is the universal principle?

4. Can the universal principle be made into moral law?

1. The parent’s motivations vary from wanting their child to win, to win the money/ bond or to live vicariously through that child.

2. To win money or feel better about myself I will dress my daughter up and make her compete in beauty pageants.

3. Any parent who wants to win a reward, or relive childhood memories should use their child in beauty pageants.

4. This can not be made into moral law because the parents are using their children for a means to an end.  They want to win or gain something for themselves and they are using their children to do it.  Kant would say that because the parents are using the children it is automatically unethical.   Also, if every parent used their child, then there would be a complete break in all family dynamics.