Identify and analyze Leon R. Kass (Essay Sample)

Short Essay
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Identify and analyze Leon R. Kass’ distinction between "full human dignity" and "basic human dignity”.
Kass refers to full human dignity as the dignity of being human. This means the actions that we do that make us seem humane to other people. Full human dignity involves treating other people with justice and equality. The treatment that we should pay to others should reflect on how we want other people to treat us. Full human dignity requires one to be humble, and at the same time empathetic. Full human dignity stretches more than being good and calls for compassion. A classic example given by Kass is where a male teacher fell in love with a singer. The singer at first laughed at his proposal for marriage and when she later married him, she humiliated him in public. On the other hand, basic human dignity refers to the dignity of human being (Kass, 2009). This type of dignity is based on an individual’s moral grounds. That is, what may seem wrong to one person may be an acceptable behavior to another different person. Basic human dignity focuses on providing for basic needs for another individual without considering how basic the treatment is (Kass, 2009). For example, in a home setting where people have house helps. Some employers over load house helps with work without any consideration. They may also provide the house helps with poor living conditions and argue that they have provided shelter.
Distinction between ethics and morals
Christian ethics are based on particular justifications for morality (Gustafson). For Protestants, they have a close relationship between religious reasons and morality. That is, if one is not doing something for the right religious reasons, then that action is not morally right (Gustafson). This has raised objections as a good deed should not be judged on the intent of that action. Ethics on the other hand are based on positive moral norms, values, and rules of life. A person may choose to do an action as it appears morally right to him/her even if the other people do not agree. Ethics, therefore, apply to a given setting that demands a course of action. For example, in a society a given norm may be acceptable traditionally but which the Christian faith does not recognize (Gustafson). Thus, morals are determined by the set rules and are justifiable to a large population. Ethics, on the other hand can involve doing something that does not seem morally right to other people but is justifiable to the individual.
How is God the Center of Value in any system of Christian morality?
The Old Testament in the Bible gives us an account of how God gave a set of commandments to Moses to guide his people (Gula, 1989). These set of commandments were meant to guide people of what is wrong and right. God remains supreme, and even if humans are made in his reflection they remain inferior to him (Gula, 1989). Committing a sin is believed as wronging God. God is the giver of everything that we hold dear to us. Thus, when we sin God can punish us by taking what we hold dear. A sin is when we do any wrong thing to another person, this angers God and so people behave in a Christian way to avoid making God angry.