Question

A maxim is simply a moral rule or principle, which can be considered objective or subjective, and dependent on one's philosophy. We learned the Kant maxim which refer to check whether a "moral rule" statement morally right or wrong using the Kantianism formulation.

Write down one morally wrong maxim, with the 1st formulation of Kantianism to show why it is wrong.

Answer 1

A morally wrong maxim that violates the 1st formulation of Kantianism is 'It is acceptable to lie whenever it benefits me personally.' This maxim is morally wrong because it cannot be universalized.

Step-by-step explanation:

A morally wrong maxim that violates the 1st formulation of Kantianism is 'It is acceptable to lie whenever it benefits me personally.' According to the first formulation of Kantianism, we should only act according to maxims that we can will to be universal laws. If everyone were to adopt the maxim of lying whenever it benefits them, trust and communication would break down, resulting in chaos and an inability to achieve our desired ends. Therefore, this maxim is morally wrong because it cannot be universalized.