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Entry: A Neoconservative Categorical Imperative Link: http://www.takimag.com/sniperstower/article/a_neoconservative_categorical_imperative#25826 Post contents: It's difficult to know what to do with the categorical imperative in politics. If one avoids it entirely, the result is often a truly amoral realpolitik vision of self-interest. If one applies it to tricky situations like wars, one likely embraces pacifism ("you wouldn't want to be bombed, would you?" Ergo, don't bomb). I recall the provocative argument of Willmoore Kendall, that Christians can kill their enemies for their own good, to prevent them from hurting not only others but also themselves. Now that's a tricky application of Kantian ethics; even the neocons haven't gone that far. Sent at: 2008 05 22