Read Chapter 6, watch the Week 6 Lecture, and pick a movie. Apply Kant’s moral philosophy to judge the MAIN action of the movie you chose. I highly recommend the movies: Gone Baby Gone and Sleepers, but you can select any other movie. Please make sure the movie you picked displays a strong moral dilemma.
**Applying Kant’s Moral Philosophy to “Gone Baby Gone”**
**Introduction**
In the film “Gone Baby Gone,” directed by Ben Affleck, a moral dilemma central to the story involves the kidnapping of a young girl named Amanda. Private investigators Patrick Kenzie (Casey Affleck) and Angie Gennaro (Michelle Monaghan) are hired to find her. As they delve deeper, they uncover a complex situation that challenges their moral beliefs and ethical boundaries. To analyze the main action in this movie, we will apply Immanuel Kant’s moral philosophy, focusing on his Categorical Imperative.
**Kant’s Moral Philosophy**
Kant’s moral philosophy is centered on the concept of the Categorical Imperative, which serves as a universal moral law that must be followed regardless of personal desires or consequences. Kant proposes two main formulas within the Categorical Imperative:
1. **The Formula of Universal Law**: Act only according to that maxim by which you can at the same time will that it should become a universal law.
2. **The Formula of Humanity**: Act in such a way that you treat humanity, whether in your own person or in the person of another, always at the same time as an end and never merely as a means.
**Main Action in “Gone Baby Gone”**
The critical moral action in “Gone Baby Gone” revolves around the decision Patrick makes at the climax of the film. He discovers that Amanda was not kidnapped for ransom but was taken by Captain Jack Doyle (Morgan Freeman) to be raised in a loving home, away from her neglectful and abusive mother, Helene (Amy Ryan). Patrick faces a profound moral choice: to report Doyle and return Amanda to her biological mother or to let her stay with Doyle, where she would have a better life.
**Applying the Formula of Universal Law**
Patrick’s decision can be analyzed using the Formula of Universal Law. If Patrick decides to let Amanda stay with Doyle, the maxim guiding his action could be stated as: “It is acceptable to take a child from their parents if it is believed they will have a better life elsewhere.” If this maxim were universalized, it would justify kidnapping whenever someone believes a child would be better off in another home. This would lead to a breakdown of trust in society, as parents would constantly fear the abduction of their children by those who claim to know better. Kant would argue that this maxim cannot be universalized without contradiction, and thus, it is morally impermissible.
**Applying the Formula of Humanity**
Using the Formula of Humanity, Patrick must consider whether he is treating all individuals involved as ends in themselves or merely as means to an end. Allowing Doyle to keep Amanda would mean treating Amanda’s biological mother, Helene, merely as a means to an end—the end being Amanda’s well-being. It would disregard Helene’s autonomy and rights as a mother, no matter how flawed she might be. Conversely, reporting Doyle respects Helene’s right to make decisions about her own child, treating her as an end in herself, even if those decisions are questionable.
**Conclusion**
Through the lens of Kant’s Categorical Imperative, Patrick’s morally right action would be to report Doyle and return Amanda to her mother. This action respects the universal moral law and treats all individuals as ends in themselves, acknowledging their autonomy and inherent worth. Despite the apparent benefit to Amanda, Kantian ethics demands adherence to moral duty above all else. In this case, the duty to uphold the law and respect parental rights prevails, demonstrating the often challenging nature of applying Kant’s moral philosophy to real-life dilemmas.
**References:**
– Kant, I. (1785). *Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Morals*.
– “Gone Baby Gone” (2007). Directed by Ben Affleck.
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This outline provides a structured analysis of the moral dilemma in “Gone Baby Gone” using Kant’s moral philosophy. Let me know if you need more details or adjustments!
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