Kant Definition

Have you ever wondered about how advertisements attract consumers? I will discuss the impact of advertisements have on consumers in an image-based culture. My topic is related to ethics course and is under chapter seven part two Persuasion in Advertising. In this chapter the authors of the Media Ethics Cases and Moral Reasoning book discuss Advertising in an Image-Based Culture, including marketing or advertising in the businesses, news media, and social media. The cases in this chapter introduce you to some ethical dilemmas encountered and the questions raised with regard to our marketplace of images. I am interested in this

(Twitchell, p. 178) As if this tidbit of information was not enough to raise awareness of the bad side effects that come along with social media and advertising, a study was conducted recently to determine just how important advertisers found ethics to be; the results were shocking. It turns out that among twenty-nine different advertising agencies, two general groups were able to be formed: “those who feel ethics is largely irrelevant to advertising, and those who ‘typically recognized moral issues and talked about them inside the agency with their coworkers and outside the agency with their clients and potential clients.’” (Drumright and Murphy, 2009) Unfortunately, the majority of the agencies who were interviewed fell into the category of believing that ethics is largely irrelevant to advertising. Since ethics turn out to be of so little concern in the advertising industry, and since advertisements clutter social media, it is fair to conclude that said industries are not in existence to look out for consumers, but rather to provide a platform for sales and increased revenue.

There is very little question as to what action a strict deontologist would do in the scenario for this assignment he or she would unequivocally adhere to his or her duty. The more pressing question, of course, revolves around just where that duty lies. For a deontologist, that duty would lie with the job at hand and its responsibilities. As one who took an oath to only program software in accordance to the company that he or she works for which is essentially operating as an extension of the government that wishes the programmer to 'push the button' and destroy millions of innocent lives in World War II it would strongly appear that such an individuals would consider it his or her duty to effectively start World War III.

Again, the reading from Kant proves difficult to read. However, the part discussing examples of duties I found to be quite interesting. In relation to the last example when it mentions that all human beings should help others in need, I came to question if people actually carry out this duty throughout all aspects of their life? I also questioned when people do assist others in need, if they actively think and register their actions as a duty since as human beings we have a moral responsibility to help others.

When businesses are selling their products or services, they often use different motivational techniques to motive their customers to purchase more products or services. Sometimes, businesses use a combination of multiple techniques to attract more customers. Three most effective techniques are: scarcity, exclusivity, status figures. After understanding all three of these techniques, the essay then will introduce Kantian perspective and arguing from a Kantian’s perspective, why all three of those techniques are morally impermissible. Some techniques are coercive and some are deceptive. Either way, those techniques are morally impermissible according to Kant.

German philosopher Immanuel Kant was considered to be one of the most influential thinkers of his enlightenment era. He was the greatest western philosophers in his time. Kant’s works on epistemology (theory of knowledge), aesthetics, along with his ethics that had a profound influence on later philosophers. Other than establishing himself as one of the greatest western philosophers, Kant also made a contribution to science. He is considered to be an important figure in modern science. Despite him being mostly interested in philosophy of science and knowledge that science can produce. Kant’s main contribution was to the rise of modern science and its liberation from theology. Some would describe Kant’s philosophy as the golden middle between

Kant’s categorical statement number one suggests: “so act that the maxim of your actions could be as a universal law.” A maxim that could be written for this particular case could be “any company can lie about its products or services, as long as it’s not presented to the public.” The idea of the public not being aware of what any product is made out of is quite daunting. If we lived in a world full of lies, no one could be trusted. Kant’s categorical statement number two suggests: “Treat people as an end, not only as a means, and never exploit anyone.”This maxim may benefit a company in the short-term. The thought of customers buying an economically friendly, fuel efficient car and maximizing profits leading to happy customers

The disparity and divide among various levels of the society locally and globally are rooted in many factors. Unfortunately, growing effects of globalization appear to widen the abyss between the rich and poor, leaving no hopes that eventually the world could collectively and uniformly prosper and poverty would be completely eradicated. The natural resources are not evenly distributed on the various continents on the planet Earth. While some countries enjoy the wealth and prosperity as a result of abundant resources, such oil and natural gas reserves, others are stricken by natural disasters and persistent droughts, having no access to clean water, fertile soil, or any sustainable means of existence. Blaming eruption of violence and flourishing

Based on the end of the reading, Kant broke his writing into three sections with a brief explanation how each section transitions from the common rational knowledge of morality to philosophical, from popular moral philosophy to metaphysic of morals, and the final section from the metaphysic of morals to the critique of the pure practical reason.

     Utilitarianism is a consequential perspective, in that, a decision in based on the effects it ----will have on society and what it will generally lead to. Also, the utility or usefulness of an action is determined by the amount of happiness that will result. Therefore, no action in itself can be deemed wrong; consequence alone are the important matter. Using this principle, one should consider the possible results of each potential action.

other nations to distrust them in future times of peace. By this, he is referring

“A transcendental principle is one by which we think the universal a priori condition which alone things can become objects of our cognition in general[.]”

Kant states that, “In the order of time, therefore, we have no knowledge antecedent to experience, and with experience all our knowledge begins, but although all of our knowledge begins with experience, it does not follow that it all arises out of experience,”(CPR,41). What he means is that we do not rely on experience inorder to have knowledge, but knowledge and experience are connected for to have knowledge we must begin with experience. There are four types of knowledge that Kant deduced. A priori, which is knowledge that is independent of experience, knowledge which is always true, does not rely on a person to experience it inorder for one to realize that it is true. A

Companies involved in targeted advertising also have to deal with ethical issues. According to a study conducted by JL Davis on decision making in advertising, most of advertising experts were influenced only by legal actions, while ethics contributed as the minor factor. Based on the study of Wallace Snyder, advertising ethics, especially targeted advertising, is often given little attention until the company is compelled to make a response when challenged by the law (Snyder 2008). Some consumers haven’t been aware of that their privacy are stolen. Even if consumers were aware of online

Advertising and promotion, ethical pitfall: Issues over truth and honesty. Issues with violence, sex and profanity. Taste and controversy and negative advertising