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Immanuel kant: Moral action

Cailane November 03, 2018 at 08:07 1850 views 1 comments
In 1968 two members of the US Olympic team were suspended for raising their arms in a black power salute in support of the ongoing civil rights struggle during their medal ceremony.
Would kant think the action of the athletes (engaging in protest) was a moral action?
Would kant think their suspension was a moral action? How would he apply the categorical imperative?

Comments (1)

BC November 03, 2018 at 14:00 #224417
Reply to Cailane I have nothing against the black athletes who gave the 1968 black power salute, but this wasn't civil disobedience. It was at most impolite. The punishment was worse than the offense.

Kant provides a way of evaluating moral action; he doesn't provide a list of moral acts.

So, what do you think was moral here? Is impoliteness at highly dignified and socially important events an offense against Kant's imperative? Or is it permissible? What exactly motivated the Olympic Committee to severely punish this gesture? Was it a moral motivation or not? What do you think?