Ayn Rand Vs Kant Essay

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Philosophical Essay Questions on Kant, Bentham, Mill, Medlin and Rand Question 1: This essay will define the importance of Mill’s Utilitarianism as a more important philosophical tradition to create a society for the greatest utility and happiness for the greater good. Bentham’s philosophy defines the importance of a social foundation of the greater good, which contrasts Kant’s highest categorical imperative by achieving selfless acts for “good in itself.” Kant’s reasoning does not follow a broader social functionality, which Mill addresses by encouraging the greatest good through a collective mindset and respect for civil society. Therefore, no one can simply act without motivation, but they have to rely on the utilitarian connection between …show more content…

In Rand’s view of the individual, certain people are more talented or gifted than others, which give them a greater rational propensity to stand out amongst society. Due to these individual gifts, the person has a right to exploit these gifts through as type of superior hierarchy in social groupings as a type of moral and ethical obligation. In contrast to this view, the argument that every individual does not have a responsibility to others in the community (due to their superior nature) cannot sustain larger groupings of societies as cohesive units. In this manner, Rand’s view that all people should be “self-interested” is incompatible with any type of moral structure that binds people together in a society. In essence, Medlin provides a more realistic evaluation of the irrational assumption that all human beings must act in their own self-interest, which defines Rand’s Ethical Egoism as a severely competitive and unrealistic social arrangement that is destructive to human …show more content…

In this point of view. Medlin defines the glaring illogic of a society made up of selfish individuals merely seeking to satiate their own personal goals and for their own benefit. This aspect of moral laws is based on the assumption that Rand is attempting to make Ethical Egoism a overarching/universal set of moral rules for people to follow in a particular society. Medlin defines this logical argument through the assumption of moral universality or categorical

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