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A History of Ideas: Kant's Axe
Harry Shearer on Kant's Axe
Is it right to tell a lie in order to save your friend from an axe wielding, homicidal maniac? Emmanuel Kant said ‘No’. In this gruesome tale we discover the deontological approach to ethics, epitomised by Kant’s Categorical Imperative. It also gives us some insight into why Kant had so few friends.
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