Running head: UNIT 3 ESSAY 1

Capstone Artifact

Magali N. Garza

ORGL 3332-V01

South Texas College

DR. Christopher J. Gomez.

UNIT 3 ESSAY 2

Capstone Artifact

I am the leader of a group of 4 members. I am a soldier from my country. The general

sends me and my group to enemy’s territory to locate and find details about when we can attack

and caught the enemy leader. We spy several hours hiding in the trees and shrubbery, we notice

that the head in command was cruel he was killing, main and terrorizing. After, a couple of hours

we decide to rest a little bit, the trip were long and we were tired, we felt asleep. During the rest

time we hear a sound of something approaching toward us. It was a flock of sheep and barking of

dogs followed by an old man, a young man and a kid. We tried to hide but they found us. The

three of them were part of the enemies. Each individual of my team have several powerful

weapons and we were trained to use them in. We tied the three of them, to have time to think

what will be the correct choice to do. As a team we had three options. The first option was to kill

the three of them, and then appear on the news that my country is killing innocent people. The

second option was to leave them tied up until someone finds them, but the wolf would eventually

find them first and eat them, the death of these individuals will stay on us too. The third choice is

to let them go, and that will be to let them go to warn the enemies that we are there invading their

territory and to look for us to kill us. I was the leader; I was the one who decide what decision

chooses and deal with the consequences. In my belief the correct decision would be to leave

them tied, and came back to a safe place for us. I was not killing them but I was not let them go,

and eventually came back to kill me and my team members. With the decision I am taking I am

giving the decision of life in God’s hand or to the destiny or to their luck. They can be saved or

can be killed by hungry animals, or dehydrated or because of the low temperatures. In my belief

what happens with them will not be my completely fault, as if my decision was to directly kill
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them, or let them go and kill myself basically. I strongly believe that would be my solution to the

situation I am facing, for me and for my team members.

According to the thinker Immanuel Kant, a person should always act following morals.

He came up with the word Kantianism, which means that it’s an absolute value to stick to the

moral rulebook; there are never any exceptions, or excuses to violating moral rules. In other

words, regardless what an individual does, there are some lines that good people should never

cross and killing is obviously on the wrong side of the line. In Kant opinion did not act morally, I

am a not moral person because the solution that I choose it can cause the death of three

individuals. Kantian believes that I should never get blood in my hands to find a solution a

problem even though is going to have negative consequences in my life. Kant set out to find a

rational and autonomous ethic, based on reason alone and not dependent on subjective

inclinations. In this sense, the first thing Kant discovered is that there is almost nothing that can

be called "good" absolutely, unless it is a good will. And only a will that acts out of respect for

duty is good. Kant developed his ethical ideas as the logical result of his belief in the

fundamental freedom of the individual. He did not consider this freedom not subject to laws, but

rather as the freedom of self-government, the freedom to conscientiously obey the laws of the

universe as revealed by reason. Kant seeks, as the basis of morals, is what imperatives there are

that do not have conditions but that we have to do them yes or yes, not because we are going to

achieve this or that thing but because we are rational human beings. Morality cannot be based on

these kinds of imperatives, but on those who propose what I should do and not only what should

be done for me. For Kant, the center of morals, is that the human being must consider other

individuals as ends in themselves and not as instruments. In other words, you should not use any

man as a tool for purposes other than those that man can propose himself. We must recognize
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that each of us can give a universal orientation to his action, that what he seeks is the fulfillment

of those ends of humanity that are not compatible with considering others as mere tools.

If my decision were to let them free they will continue being violent and killing people, if

that happens it would also be my fault, because I had the opportunity to save my own life, my

team members’ life and many other people as well. In other words, I had the opportunity to save

anyone from ever being a victim from these individuals. If I had the ability to stop a killer and I

do not do it, I am morally pure because I did not kill or I am morally dirty because I refuse to do

what needs to be done. I believe that instead of focusing more on the intent behind the behavior,

a person needs to pay more attention to the consequences that decision would occasion ate. Kant

opposes to the term of utilitarianism which focuses on the results or consequences, of our actions

and treats intentions as irrelevant. In other words, means that good consequences equal to good

actions. In my situation, take care of my own life besides the other ones was a good consequence

of a good action, to think first in me and to survive.

If I would choose Kant perspective, the three enemies would quickly go to their shelter to

inform there were four Americans with weapons in the woods. By the time my team members

and I were trying to leave the danger, they would have us cornered. In the enemy’s territory, with

majority army against four people. They would finish us without even blink an eye. the only

thing we cannot give up is to have good will, and if we act according to it, whatever the

consequences, nobody can morally reproach us for anything.

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References

Kant I. (2002) Fundamental Principles of the Metaphysic of Morals. Retrieved from

http://www.gutenberg.org/files/5682/5682-h/5682-h.htm