Critically evaluate whether the main features of Kant’s deontological approach are too restrictive and fail to be applicable to modern ethical issues, such as Euthanasia.
The main features of Kant’s deontological approach are in many ways restrictive and it can be argued that they fail to be applicable to modern ethical issues. However to say that they are exempt from providing any form of solution to modern ethical issues is a failing in the understanding of his ethics. The statement itself must be broken down, particularly the word ‘restrictive’, which indicates some form of limitation in Kant’s approach, specifically towards euthanasia. This presents us as philosophers with problems as, even prior to any ethical approach, the idea of assisted death or euthanasia would have been a difficult decision to make on the grounds that there are arguments for both sides, both with valid sway when it comes to doing the morally correct thing. For the most part, arguments for whether euthanasia is the right thing to do take into account personal relationships, in light of compassion and love. This however, is not a Kantian method. Kant’s approach is far more impersonal as, for Kant, the outcome of an action is not relevant to whether or not it is ethical. We must therefore question, can an ethic that fails to address the importance of personal relationships ever be applicable to modern ethical issues, which more often than not, require a personal, situational solution? It also follows, that for an issue like euthanasia, can we have objective morality? It is important to note that Kant believes there are three things that decide whether someone’s choice is rational: It must be voluntary (not coerced or restrained), knowledgeable (the person making the choice must know all the relevant facts necessary) and rational (clear-headed, sane, not overcome by emotion and not drugged).
Kant’s deontological approach starts with the idea that the only thing of absolute value is...