PP110 Lecture Notes - Lecture 11: Political Philosophy
Document Summary
Key point: the distinction between treating something as a means (as an instrument for one of my purposes) a treating it as an end in itself (never treat people as only as a mere means) Treating something as an end in itself (end usually needs consent from itself) To treat in such a way this it is not principally serving my interests or ends. For kant, each one of us is an autonomous reasoner. What categorical imperative second formulation, forces us to do is respect everybody"s ability to think and act for him/herself. Kant: fundamental distinction between persons and things. Persons ought to be treated with respect, which is the same thing as allowing them to act and think autonomously, which is the same thing as treating them as ends in themselves.
