What's a good example of Kan'ts Categorical Imperative applied to everyday life?

Question

What's a good example of Kan'ts Categorical Imperative applied to everyday life?

Answer 1

If someone came up to you, normally with an irritating self-righteousness, and said "What if everyone were to do that...?"

Actual examples, though, could be:

"Lie when you feel like it" - this is a 'contradiction in conception' (what Kant calls a Perfect Duty) because it is logically self-defeating. If everyone acted on that maxim, then the notion of lying and truth-keeping would be meaningless which means any maxim using the term "lie" is self-contradictory.

"Kill people if they insult you" - this is a 'contradiction of the will" (what Kant calls an Imperfect Duty). These are, by Kant, only ever "Morally Permissible" as opposed to "forbidden"/"obligatory". These fail the imperative because you could not "will" it to be universal.

Answer 2

Just for the record, the Categorical Imperative is not equal to the Golden Rule.  Kant actually pointed this out in his "Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Morals."  The Golden Rule's focus only on the self.  It is all about how one person would want other people to act towards him.  Kant's Categorical Imperative focuses on all mankind.  It is all about how all people would wish for all people to act towards everyone, and not just to himself.

An example of the Categorical Imperative in everyday life could be a situation where you are at a red light early in the morning.  No one is coming in any direction and this red light is notorious for being long, and you are running late for work.  Now you could go ahead and run this light if and only if you would will this action into a universal law.  That means would you want everyone to run red lights anytime they want, or anytime they are running late to work etc...

Answer 3

Categorical Imperative simplified (derived from the concept of Kant's Kingdom of Men--or something like that) = "The Golden Rule"

Treat people how you want everyone to be treated.

A concrete example is: You should not steal because stealing is wrong (because stealing cannot be willed in the kingdom of man--where, all man must act in uniformity and therefore NOT steal).