In Rwanda, a farmer is hiding a group of persecuted Tutsis from a Hutu military commander. The farmer believes that he has to always tell the truth, and that this is a categorical imperative. If the Hutu commander asks if he has any hidden Tutsis, and he tells the truth, who is to blame for the Tutsis’ capture according to Kantian theory?
A. The farmer, because saving lives is more important than respecting duty.
B. The Tutsis who are hiding because it was unethical of them to take advantage of the farmer
C. The Rwandans who started the war that led to these circumstances
D. Hutu commander, because only he is responsible for his own decisions
Answer:
D. Hutu commander, because only he is responsible for his own decisions
Explanation:
Kantian theory is a philosophical ethical theory which is propounded by Immanuel Kant, a German Philosopher, the theory is based on the belief that the only intrinsically good thing is a good will.
In other words, an action can only be good if its main and only reason behind it, is duty to the moral law, such as saying the truth always.
The main idea to Kant's ideal of the moral law is the categorical imperative, which works on all people, regardless of their interests or desires
Hence, in this case, the farmer is having obeyed the moral law, which is categorically imperative, then it is the Hutu's commander that is to be blamed for the capture of Tutis, because he his responsible for his own decision, whether to let them go free or not.
