Dear Herr Doktor Professor Kant, Since the maxim in question exhibits no practical contradiction, and involves the agent in no form of illegitimate self-exemption, it abides by the Principle of Autonomy and the Kingdom of Ends. There is, as such, no moral impermissibility here. The decision devolves to matters of prudence or manners. Am I missing something here? (Erin, I may need your asistance in the not too distanct future here.) Your humble servant, Walter P.S. You come anywhere near my daughter again, and I'll shoot you dead next time you go out for a walk. And I know where and when you go. Get a real job before you go a-courtin'. Walter O. Koenigsberg Bakery and Deli 32 Apperception Rd. (P)Russia V1A 1W1 Yes, we deliver! (Noumenal charge.) ----- Forwarded message from Robert Paul <rpaul@xxxxxxxx> ----- Date: Mon, 12 Mar 2007 17:10:58 -0700 From: Robert Paul <rpaul@xxxxxxxx> Reply-To: lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx Subject: [lit-ideas] An appeal to lit-ideas from Immanuel Kant To: lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx Dear fellow travelers in time, Since I left Königsberg and began to travel into the deeper, darker realms of the Kosmos, I have learned to my surprise, but also to my delight--for what is a philosopher but one who delights in knowledge?--that my views on Space and Time and, as one might say, on the Mechaniks of the Universe, contained certain errors, which in my present state I cannot undo. That I have been forced by Reason itself to give up my former views on these Subjects, however, has not led me to conclude that I was thereby wrong about the Nature of our Ethical Life, and in particular, about the Nature of the Categorical Imperative, that Great Foundation of all our Moral reasoning; indeed my belief in it has only stregthened as my Spirit has gone with awe into what I now understand to be realms which far surpass even the Starry Heavens at Night. So, I appeal to you now, to look into your human hearts and ask whether appending the entirety of a post to which you are replying to your reply might in thought be projected as a universal law, binding on all mankind, the more so--should the Categorical Imperative admits of 'more so's'--if your reply is brief and the prior matter of daunting length. Yours in spirit, Immanuel Kant ------------------------------------------------------------------ To change your Lit-Ideas settings (subscribe/unsub, vacation on/off, digest on/off), visit www.andreas.com/faq-lit-ideas.html ----- End forwarded message ----- ----- End forwarded message ----- ------------------------------------------------------------------ To change your Lit-Ideas settings (subscribe/unsub, vacation on/off, digest on/off), visit www.andreas.com/faq-lit-ideas.html