Plato and Nietzsche on Power and Goodness *OR* Kant and Nietzsche on Morality

Kant and Nietzsche on Morality

Two modern day thinkers have deeply influenced major world leaders that helped shaped our history . These thinkers are Immanuel Kant and Friedrich Nietzsche . We will assess the thoughts of these two , identify their similarities , and finally , discern their differences . This is to help us gain insights on how certain world leaders viewed morality and made major decisions and actions based on the thoughts of these two thinkers

In Groundwork for the Metaphysic of Morals , Kant evaluates morality from a metaphysical plane . This is analysis that considers

many views to explain what should happen in one central idea (3 , 4 . Kant also expounds that an empirical plane is a study of what have happened (1 while intelligent common sense usually jumbles what happened with what should have (2 . Kant prefers metaphysics as a method of analysis for the simple reason that a philosopher specializes in a carefully mastered area of knowledge (2 . On the other hand , the ideas of empiricists are prone to corruption because these may fail to explain other things Meanwhile , those with intelligent common sense are jack-of-all-trades (2

For example , a manufacturer of bio-chemical weapons sets up a factory in a small town . Let us call this town , SmallVille . Of course , the residents of SmallVille will have different opinions on the benefits and disadvantages of the plant . Likewise , SmallVille will have different stakeholders , each with their own point of view . How will Kant evaluate the morality of setting up this facility

Kant will start with one point of view , say , from a farmer who has no idea that people will use bio-chemicals as weapons of mass destruction Furthermore , the era is in the 1750s . We have no televisions or national newss . Moreover , only a few highly-specialized scientists know that bio-chemicals are now useful as weapons . Under these conditions , the farmer will naturally conclude that the factory is good if he derives a direct benefit from it . Like say , the plant manager offers to buy tons of the farmer 's cow dung for the breeding of Anthrax . Let us assume that only one person , the in-house scientist , knows what Anthrax will do to an entire population

Next , Kant will evaluate the point of view of the plant manager . The plant manager 's circumstance , in this case , is unstable . He used to live in New York City . His stockbroker wife is about to divorce him because he accepted the job and she has been left out all alone in New York pursuing her career . He greatly loves his wife . Moreover , he is not used to the inconveniences of rural life . Yet , he chooses to take the job His reasons are : a ) the factory creates new jobs that the U .S . economy needs and b ) the U .S . President personally told him that the factory will help in the country 's war effort with Spain

Finally , Kant will evaluate the point of view of the in-house scientist The scientist 's situation is that : a ) He is...