You are on page 1of 7

10/12/15

AnnikaConstantino

ReadingLog4.2

SECTIONA

ConnectionsIhad:

IlookbackontimeswhereIthoughtIjustwonttellthem.Itisfortheirowngood.Also
sayingthatIwasprotectingthemfromknowingsomethingthatcouldpotentiallyhurt
them.ButnowIrealizethattheirareconsequencesfromdoingso.Likeonetimeinsixth
grade,IoverheardsomeonetalkbadaboutsomeoneIknew.Idecidednottotellthat
personforitwouldpotentiallyturnthemagainstsomeoneandcouldruintheirdayas
whole.SoIdidnttellthem.Buteventually,anothersourcecameandtoldthatperson
aboutotherpeopletalkingbadabouther.Frustratedshecametometotalkaboutit.
SheaskedifIknewanyfurtherinformationaboutit,andIrepliedwithyes,nowbeing
honest.AfterfindingoutthatshesaidYouknewaboutthis?Whydidntyoutellme
whenyoufirstheardit?.IfeltbadaboutbutIstatedthatitcouldvehurther.Before,I
thoughtabouttheconsequencesthatwouldhappenifIhadtoldherfirst,butIdidnt
realizewhenmakingmydecisiontokeepitasecretthattherewereconsequencesto
holdinginthelieforalongtime.Shefoundoutanywayandshetoldmethatsheexpects
metotellherwhenIhearsomeonetalkingbadlyofher.Ihavehaddifferentsituationsof
thisbefore,andsomepeoplepreferdifferentthings.Inthisexample,thegirlpreferedme
tobebrutallyhonestwithher,totellherstraighttoherfacethetruth,regardlessof
whetherornotitwillnegativelyaffecther.ButIhaveaskedotherpeopleaboutwhatthey
prefer,andsomepeopleratherbetoldnonewsofthembeingtalkedbadlyof.Itdoes
dependontheperson...

Wethenbegantocreateourenginemount.Kazuhabeganfollowingthedirectionstodothat
whileSammieandIbegantodothe"Finattachment"areaoftheprocess.Itwasverydifficultto
glueonthefinsstraight,andsoAndrewgaveusarocketholdingstand.Itheldourrocketbase
inplace,withlittlesocketstoholdourfinsasitstaysandglues

Webegantofollowthedirectionswrittenintheinstructionmanual.Firstoneofusgrabbedthe
whitecardboardtubeandwenttomarkthelines.Iwasinchargeofmakingthelineswhile
SammieandKazuhagluedtheBalsawoodpiecestogether.Itwasdifficultdrawingthelienson
thetubeforIcouldn'treachthedoorwaycornerlikeitasked.SoIusedtheshelfintheclassto
drawoutmylinesonthecylinderinstead.Imessedupacoupleoftimes,leavingourcardboard
tubesloppy.

SammieandKazuhagluedthebalsawoodtogetherwithwoodglue,itwasdifficult,forthe
dryingtimetookverylong.Itwashardtokeepthewoodstucktogether,andoftentimeswe
wouldaccidentallymovethetable,ruiningthegluingprocess.Wefoundthewoodgluemessy
andittookawhilebeforewehadourbalsawoodpiecesfirmlytogether

PreLabThoughts
Iwashonestlyscaredofbuildingtherocketwrongoraccidentallyreadingthedirectionswrong
andmessinguponeofthesteps.Iwasexcitedtobuildarocketbutalsoscaredoftheoutcome.
Whatifitdidn'twork?Iwasafraidoftherocketfailing.Iwasinterestedtoseethewholeprocess
ofbuildingarocket,andIwasbeginningtothinkabouthowharditisforNASAtobuildreal
rocketstobelaunchedintoorbit.Ithoughtabouthowitmustbesoagonizingtobuildsomething
ofthatscale,andthenwatcheitherlaunchsuccessfullyortotallyfailinfrontofyoureyes.
Althoughourrocketisnotasseriousastheirs,Iwasscaredtoseetheoutcome.
____________________________________________________________________________
________________________

WhatHappened?
ARocketStory!

AfterAndrewquizzedusmultipletimesonwhatthedifferentpartsoftherocketwere,wefinally
passed!Andrewgaveustwooptions,thePayloader1rocketorthePayloader2rocket.Wesaw
thatothergroupswerealldoingthePayloader1,sowedecidedtopickthePayloader2.We
alsoenjoyedtheideaofputtingalegofigureintheplastictube(onethatresemblesourfavorite
Academiccoach)
Wetookourmodelrocketandtookittoourdesktounpackthesupplies.Therewasalarge
pamphletofinstructionsthatgivenalongwiththedifferentsupplies.

SECTIONB

MAINTHOUGHTSONTHIS:

Formepersonally,IbelievethatKantstheoryofwhatismorallypermissibleisthemost
reasonableone.Iagreewithalotofexamplesandthingshebringsup.Iagreewiththefactthat
yes,moralityhasanaspectofushumanbeingtreatingoneanothercorrectly.Notmajority
pleasure,notwhetherornotithasconsent.Thereisadeepermeaningtomorality,andIfeel
thatKantistheclosesttoit.
However,IbelievethatKantcontradictsthefactthatwearehumanbeings.Human
beingsmeaningthatweareimperfectbeings,wemakemistakes,wehaveinstincts,andmost
ofallWEFEELthings.Wehavefeelings.Someofhistheoryimpliesthatonlyunfeelingpeople
couldbeappliedtothis.Whichdoesntmakeanysensebecauseunfeelingpeopledontexist.
Therearepeoplewhohavemorefeelingandcompassionthanothers,butthereisnohuman
beingbornwithoutemotionsandfeelings.

IagreewithKantstheorybutsomeoftheexpectationsofwhatismoralseemshardfor
ahumanbeingtoliveupto.Hestatesthatweshouldnotmakedecisionsoutofemotionslike
interests,pity,pleasure.Butthatiswhatitmeanstobeahuman.Wemakedecisionsbasedon
thingswefeel.Weinstinctivelythinkofourselvesinsituations.Wethinkofitlikeawayof
survival,whengivencertaincircumstances,wethinkhowwillthisbenefitus?whatarethe
consequences?,wethinkaboutourselves.Wedothatbecausewearehumanbeingsandwe
arelookingforthebestoutcomeoftheequation.Everythingwedoisprettymuchassociated
withourselves.Whetheritbehelpingsomeoneandmakingourselvesfeelbetterabout
ourselves,orbeingnicetosomeoneandexpectingtobetreatedwellalso.
KantmakesalotofextremelygoodpointsbutIcansaythatsomeoftheexpectationscontradict
Humansandournatureitself.

MAINIDEAS/STRIKINGIDEAS:

Regarding
CATEGORICALIMPERATIVESandTHEGOLDENRULE
Thearticle
impliesthatdoingcategoricalactionsisconsideredbeingfreeandbeingmyself.\
Iusedtorevolvedalotofmydecisionmakingaroundthegoldenrule,whichIam
nowquestioningandlookingback.
TheystatethattheGoldenRuleisagainstKantstheory,forhetalksaboutnot
expectinganythingtobetakenawayfromouractions.Nooutputtotheinput,just
doingactionsthatareunconditionalofwantsanddesires.Whichprettymuch
saysthattheruleisnotmoralunderKantstheory.ItstatesTreatpeopletheway
YOUwishtobetreated.Weareobviouslystillapartoftheequation,whichis
notwhatKantconsidersmoralaction.Wearenicetopeoplenotjustbecauseitis
agoodvirtue,butbecausewethinkaboutourselvesandhowWEwanttobe
treated.Whentreatingsomeonekindlyweexpectthesamebackfromthem
(Accordingtotherule),whichisnotconsideredmoral.Itssayingthatifwedont
careifpeoplearenicetousthenwecouldbeasmeantothemaswewant.
Whichisnotnecessarilyokay.
Imconfusedaboutthestatementthatsaysthatthegoldenruleisntokay,
becausedidntitstateonthelastareaofthetextalotaboutrespecting
someonesrightsiswhatismoral.Andistreatingpeoplehowtheytreat
youconsideredrespectingsomeonesrights?Howdowedecidewhat
treatmentisconsideredgood?Isbeingniceconsideredjustormoral?
Whatdefinestherightorhewronginthetreatmentofhumanbeings
aroundus?Isitsomethingtodowithwhattreatmentaperson
deserves?Dowedeservecertaintreatmentduetoactionsmadeonto
otherpeopleliketherulestates?
Whatisfairorgoodtreatmentofahumanbeing?WhatdoesKantdefine
respectinganotherhumanbeing?
SoKantisimplyingthatmoralactionsshouldnotbemadeunderagiveand
takecircumstance. YesIagreewiththedefinitionofmoralactsthatKant

impliesbutatthesametime,therearecertaincasesthatIdisagreewith.I
believethatitisimpossibletocompletelydisregardanyfeeling.Wefeelthatitis
onlyjustforsomeoneelsetotreatyouthesamewayasyoutreatthem.Wefind
thatitisfair,andforus,whatisfair,iswhatismoral.
OurlogicitselfisdifferentfromKantstheory,sometimesitdoesapplytohuman
instinctsbutothertimesitistotallydifferentfromushumanbeingareusedto.

xRegardingthe
LYING/TRUTH
Thisarticleimpliesthatcompassiondoesntcomeout
asthemoralsideinthiscase,
Islyingitselfconsideredimmoral?Dowecallthatdisrespectingsomeonesrights
bydeceivingthem?
Iusedtothinkthatlyingwasokayifitwasnecessary,ifitwouldprotect
someonesfeelings.Ithoughtsometimesitwasthenicerandsaferoptiontodo,
butnowIamquestioningthat.Shouldwebrutallyhonestratherthanmaking
whiteliestopeople?Iswhiteliesadifferentcircumstance?Islyingitselfbeing
impliedassomethingthatisntokayinanysituation?
Insomesituationslyingisatoolinwhichweuseittoprotectusfrom
consequences,whichisyes,selfishofusandcanbeconsideredimmoral.Let's
saylyingtothepolicethatyoustoleabagofbread,youarelyingforthesakeof
yourselfandsoIcanagreethatitisimmoral.Butinothersituations,lyingisa
wayweprotectpeoplefromlearningtheharshtruth.Sometimeswethinkits
betterforthemnottoknow,alsosayingthequoteorphraseSomethingsareleft
betterunsaid.Beingtoohonestcannotalwaysbeagoodthing.
Isthearticleimplyingthehonestyisalwaysmoralandisalwaysthewaytogo?
CauseIcandisagreewiththataswell.Honestyisgoodbuttherearesome
situationswhereitcanbesomethingnegative.Honestycanputpeopledown,
canhurtpeoplesfeelings,andcanhaveconsequences...Soisitconsidered
moral?Thetextimpliesthat(?).Itdoeshaveconsequencesaswellas
lying...Whatistherightthingtodo,whatquestiondoweask.
Iwouldarguethathonestyisntalwaysmoralsincewedisrespect
someonesrightsbybreakingapromiseorjustplainhurtingsomeone.In
situationslikedonttellmomitshersurprisebirthdaypartytoday!,Isit
wrongtolietoyourmomthatitisnttokeepthepromiseyoumadeandto
bringhappinesstoherinthelongrun?Shouldyoujusttellherthetruth
andrespectherrights,butDISRESPECTyourbrothersrightsbybreaking
thepromiseyoumadetohim?
IfeelthatlyingandhonestyneveristherightanswerinALLsituations.
Therewillalwaysbeexceptions.ItshardtoapplyKantstheoryhere
becauseitcontradictsitselftoomuchindifferentcircumstances.Forwe
cantalwaysrespectEVERYONESrightsintheequation.Thereis
alwaysoneendthatwillendupbeingaffectednegatively,evenifitisjust
byalittlebit.

Itisdifferentforeverycircumstance,wecanneverbesureonwhichis
moralornot...Butstill,whatdefinesrespectingsomeonesrights?Based
onKantstheory,areweexpectedtorespecteveryonesrightsasmuch
aspossible?Isthatevenpossible?Isthereaborderlinetowhatsmall
negativeactionsareokayornot?
Soisthisimplyingthatcompassionisntnecessarilymoral?Sinceweare
almostfeelingpityorsympathyforothers,leadingustobekind?Ispity
consideredimmoral?

Regarding
SEXANDPOLITICS
,itstatedthatsexshouldbesomethingdoneafter
marriage.
AtaveryyoungageIwastaughtbothreligiouslyandjustlogicallythatitissafer
tosavesexforaftermarriage.Iagreewiththereasoningthatthearticlegives
aboutweshouldberespectingthehumanityofonespartner.Butatthesame
timeIdisagreewiththatreasoning.(Notthetopicbutthereasonbehindit)
Itstatesthatweshouldnotseesexassomethingdoneforpleasure,andwe
shouldnottreatanotherhumanisaninstrumenttojustbringsatisfaction.
Butatthesametime,Kantstheorycontradictsthefactthatwearehuman.Ifeel
thateveryhumanseessexassomethinglustfulratherthansomethingthathasto
dowithrespectingeachothershumanity.ThismaynotapplytoeveryonebutI
feelthatitishumaninstinctforpeopletoviewthingslikethis.
Idoagreewiththefactthatsexshouldntbesomethingmerelydonefor
satisfaction.
AlsoIthinkitsimportantthatKantstatedthatevenwithconsent,evenifitis
mutualsatisfaction,doesnotmeanitismoral.Thiskindofimpliesthatconsent
isntjusttheonethingthatdecidesbetweenmoralandimmorallikeotherpeople
wouldsuggest.Thereismoretodecidingwhetheranactionismorally
permissibleornotthanjustthereasonofconsent.
Regarding
IFWEOWNOURSELVES(OURBODIES)
,itstatesinthetextthatno,wedo
notownourselves.
Beforereadingthisarticle,Ithoughtthatwetrulydidownourselves.Ithought
thathavingfreedomtochoose,andfreedomtocontrolourlifewasbeingfree.
Evenifwearelimitedbythingslikelaws,etc.
ButnowIrealizedthatthefreechoiceswemakearelimitedpreferences.Like
theicecreamscenario,isitreallychoosingsomething?Wearejustpicking
somethingtobenefitusinsomeway.Ortosatisfyaneedypartofus.
IfeelthatKantbelievesthatwedonotownourselvesforthereasonthathis
theorylimitsustomakedecisionsasweplease.
Kantbelievesthatweshouldnotmakedecisionsbasedoffofinterest,
consequences,orpleasure.Kantfeelsthatweshouldnotbemaking
decisionsbasedonemotionsorfeelings.Butagain,histheorycontradicts
themeaningofbeinghuman.Hesayswedonotownourselvesbecause
weneedtobelimitedintheactionswedo,wearelimitedbecausewe

shouldntbemakingdecisionsoutofpersonalwant.Thereforesayingthat
wedonotcontrolourselves,thechoiceswemakearebecauseofoutside
forces,wemakethembecausewehaveto.
ForexampleKantisimplyingthatwedonteatcakecauseweWantto
andthatisourchoice.Itissomethingthatwehavetodoinorderto
satisfyourcravingsorhunger.Wedonotcontrolthosecravingsorcontrol
whatourbodyneeds,thatswhyKantissayingthatwedonotownour
bodies.Wemakedecisionsforourbodiesbasedonahumanbeing
needstolive.

SECTIONC

QuestionsIhad:

Whenontermswiththe
GoldenRule
,istreatingpeoplehowtheytreatyouconsidered
respectingsomeonesrights?
Howdowedecidewhattreatmentisconsideredgood?
Isbeingniceconsideredjustormoral?
Whatdefinestherightorhewronginthetreatmentofhumanbeingsaroundus?
Isitsomethingtodowithwhattreatmentapersondeserves?
Dowedeservecertaintreatmentduetoactionsmadeontootherpeoplelikethe
rulestates?
Whatisfairorgoodtreatmentofahumanbeing?
Isfairnessevenapartofmoralactionsornot?
WhatdoesKantdefinerespectinganotherhumanbeing?
Whenontermswith
LyingandtellingtheTruth
,
Whatdefinesrespectingsomeonesrights?
Islyingitselfconsideredimmoral?Dowecallthatdisrespectingsomeonesrights
bydeceivingthem?
BasedonKantstheory,areweexpectedtorespecteveryonesrightsasmuch
aspossible?Isthatevenpossible?Isthereaborderlinetowhatsmallnegative
actionsareokayornot?
Shouldwebrutallyhonestratherthanmakingwhiteliestopeople?Iswhiteliesa
differentcircumstance?Islyingitselfbeingimpliedassomethingthatisntokayin
anysituation?
Andistreatingpeoplehowtheytreatyouconsideredrespectingsomeones
rights?Howdowedecidewhattreatmentisconsideredgood?Isbeingnice
consideredjustormoral?
Isthearticleimplyingthehonestyisalwaysmoralandisalwaysthewaytogo?
CauseIcandisagreewiththataswell.Honestyisgoodbuttherearesome
situationswhereitcanbesomethingnegative.Honestycanputpeopledown,

canhurtpeoplesfeelings,andcanhaveconsequences.Soisitconsidered
moral?Thetextimpliesthat(?).Itdoeshaveconsequencesaswellas
lying...Whatistherightthingtodo,whatquestiondoweask?
Soisthisimplyingthatcompassionisntnecessarilymoral?Sincewearealmost
feelingpityorsympathyforothers,leadingustobekind?Ispityconsidered
immoral?

SECTIOND

TheGoldenRuledependsoncontingentfactsabouthowpeoplewouldliketobetreated.The
categoricalimperativerequiresthatweabstractfromsuchcontingenciesandrespectpeopleas
rationalbeingsregardlessofwhattheymightwantinaparticularsituation.

Imconfusedaboutthestatementthatsaysthatthegoldenruleisntokay,because
didntitstateonthelastareaofthetextalotaboutrespectingsomeonesrightsiswhat
ismoral.Andistreatingpeoplehowtheytreatyouconsideredrespectingsomeones
rights?Howdowedecidewhattreatmentisconsideredgood?Isbeingniceconsidered
justormoral?Whatdefinestherightorhewronginthetreatmentofhumanbeings
aroundus?Isitsomethingtodowithwhattreatmentapersondeserves?Dowe
deservecertaintreatmentduetoactionsmadeontootherpeopleliketherulestates?
Whatisfairorgoodtreatmentofahumanbeing?WhatdoesKantdefine
respectinganotherhumanbeing?
SoKantisimplyingthatmoralactionsshouldnotbemadeunderagiveand
takecircumstance. YesIagreewiththedefinitionofmoralactsthatKant
impliesbutatthesametime,therearecertaincasesthatIdisagreewith.I
believethatitisimpossibletocompletelydisregardanyfeeling.Wefeelthatitis
onlyjustforsomeoneelsetotreatyouthesamewayasyoutreatthem.Wefind
thatitisfair,andforus,whatisfair,iswhatismoral.

You might also like