Review the book named middlemarch - Essay Example

It constantly ran through Dorothea’s mind what the reaction of her husband would be if she did not accept his request (Eliot 678). According to Dorothea, a wife should be there to fulfill the wishes of her husband. Even though, her husband seemed to be selfish, Dorothea considered that the requirements of her husband were much more important than hers. Part 2 Being caught in such a situation is extremely tough to imagine. Speaking from a neutral point of view, every human is selfish to their well being first, and, for this reason, I think only a few people would consider carrying on with a dead person’s work.

Therefore, if I was in Dorothea’s shoe, I would decline carrying one with Mr. Casaubon’s work because it certainly does not interest me. Before I make any decision, I only consider how it will affect me and the parties involved. Considering that Mr. Casaubon likes his work a lot, and Dorothea, in contrast, was not so much interested in the work, it would simply be better to let it go. If I force myself into carrying on with the work, then I might end up messing it up since it is not what I am proud of doing.

Step 2 The procedure that Dorothea would follow if she were to use Kant’s First Formulation theory would be to first find her husband’s motive or what is behind his motivation (Kant 437). For instance, she should ask herself why the husband wants her to carry on with his work yet he knows that she is not fully interested with the job. Secondly, Dorothea should picture an environment, which everybody is in such a situation. This would be much easier since not a majority of people would consider doing something they do not like.

Thirdly, Dorothea should examine whether there would be any irrationality or contradictions in the environment she pictured the situation. It would be much easier to come up with the right decision when she knows whether or not her decision would affect others positively or negatively (Kant 437). Fourthly, if an irrationality of contradiction comes up, then performing towards the husband’s wishes is not permitted in the real world. Finally, if there is no irrationality of contradiction, then performing towards the husband’s wishes is allowed and needed.

Probably, Dorothea would decline her husband’s wishes if she were to use the above described theory since it considers the individual self first then others. Step 3 The second formulation or, at times referred to as the Formula of the End in Itself, asserts that a rational human being should serve in every maxim as the state confining all simply relative and random ends. This is due to the nature of the state and also the end itself (Kant 450). The principle dictates that a person acts with reference to each and every rational human being so that it is an end in itself in the actor’s maxim.

This means that the rational being is the grounds of all maxims of action. Therefore, they should never be treated as only means, but as the supreme restricting circumstance in use in each and every situation (Kant 452). This means that human beings should be regarded as the ends at all times. With this in mind, it would be vital for Mr. Casaubon also to consider the consequences of his wishes before pleading with her to fulfill his wishes. If Mr. Casaubon truly thought of what his wife liked, then he could have known that his wife was not so much interested in his readings and especially carrying on with his work once he died.

Step 4 Dorothea’s steps led her to agreeing to her husband’