What are Kant’s first and second categorical imperatives?

Essay Question

Instructions:

Your essay must be between 4 pages long, double-spaced (except the gap between paragraphs) in a 12-point font.

Advice from prof:
– all essays must utilize the relevant assigned readings, even if they are not explicitly mentioned.
– if you don’t believe a conclusion then you must reject the argument for the conclusion. You cannot ignore the argument and just attack the conclusion. People believe things for a reason: it is those reasons you must discuss, reject or support with more reasons. Rejecting the conclusion without addressing the reasons for the conclusion will lose you points! (And it means you’re not listening to the person.)
– All quotes must be explained in your own words.

Please structure the essay for clarity of thought (a) the first page will have an introduction, (b) thesis statement and (c) a brief essay plan, and (d) the paper will have sections e.g. “Norcross responds…” or “Criticisms of Singer’s argument”. Important: Be sure to keep sections for explaining a person’s ideas separate from sections where you criticize their ideas! You must have a brief conclusion reiterating your thesis.
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Readings:
Mill: https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/mill-moral-political/
Kant” https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/kant/
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TASK

According to Mill:

“actions are right in proportion as they tend to promote happiness, wrong as they tend to produce the reverse of happiness”

(i)Explain what Mill means by this claim and give two examples, one of a person doing something wrong according to your opinion, and one of a person doing something right or acceptable according to your opinion, which agrees with this principle.

(ii)Be sure to explain what Mill thinks happiness is and isn’t and give examples. (see essay on Hedonism)

(iii)Is happiness our only goal? Are there other goals? Like money? Virtue? Knowledge? Love? Fame? What does or would Mill say about these?

(iv)Kant: What are Kant’s first and second categorical imperatives? Give examples of each and explain both as much as possible.

(v)Imagine that the only way to save one hundred thousand people from dying is to kill one 8-year-old child. (Make up a story where this is a fact) Would Kant agree that it is morally acceptable to kill the child? Would Mill? Do you? Explain.

(vi)Try to adjudicate: which theory seems better, Kant or Mill’s, if any?

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