Volkswagen Universal Law

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Introduction Volkswagen (VW), one of the world’s largest automakers, was recently found guilty of utilizing technologies in their vehicles that falsely displayed emissions readings when tested (NY Times). Multiple employees of the company have been prosecuted, due to their involvement in designing software to allow VW’s new “clean diesel” engines to pass “strict” U.S. standards, while delivering the performance VW sought after (LA Times). Furthermore, VW was found to have rigged cars not just in the US, but worldwide. Given the company’s large influence on a market dependent on consumer trust, their decision to cheat regulations, in order to promote their product as “clean,” also went against the duty to follow established moral law.

Kant’s …show more content…

The Formula of Universal Law requires that an individual’s actions can will one’s maxim to become a universal law (Kant in His Own Words). This logic means that Liang’s choice to aid VW in cheating emissions tests was his decision that cheating fits in as a law of nature, which contradicts his duty to tell the truth, even if his personal desires were at stake. The second categorical imperative, the Law of the End-in-Itself, requires actions to impact humanity as an end, and never as a means. Liang lied for extended periods of time to uphold the respectful image of himself and of Volkswagen, as opposed to respecting humanity as an end, which would have required him to tell the truth about emissions from vehicles he worked on. Kant’s final Law of Autonomy requires the will of every rational being to exemplify “a will that legislates universal law” (Kant in His Own Words). This law requires individuals to ensure their behavior can provide a universal law, as opposed to the first law which requires behaviors to follow universal laws. Thus, the established importance of telling the truth invalidates Liang’s actions as fitting the requirements of Kant’s third formulation, and Liang’s actions can ultimately be determined as immoral in this

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