Kant holds that for an action to be moral it must be based on reason not emotion. Our emotions and our prejudices, or “dispositions” as Kant refers to them, will mislead us about what the “right” thing to do is. The idea that our actions should be guided by our understanding of our duty is reflected in Carter Druse’s father’s admonition to his son, “[W]hatever may occur do what you conceive to be your duty.”
Do you believe Carter acted in accordance with his duty? Do you believe he acted morally? Do you believe it would have been the right thing to do to let “the enemy” (his father in this case) report the Union soldiers’ location? Can carrying out your duties be the wrong thing to do? (Remember that it’s perfectly OK to be unsure about whether you believe an act is right or wrong and to give the pros/cons you’re weighing in trying to reach a decision.)
Sample Solution
