Ethics Essay Questions

Write a short essay about each question and use the lectures:

Question 1:
In a famous passage Kant states that: “the will stands as it were at a crossroads.” What is the moral significance of the ‘will’ for Kant? What kind of a ‘crossroads’ does he see the will facing? Why does Kant see a ‘good will’ as the only thing that is good in itself?

Question 2:
Why does Hobbes think that life in the state of nature would be nasty, brutish and short? Explain what he means by this and why he thinks this way. Give reasons why you do and/or do not agree with this depiction of human nature.