Dr. Seuss and Philosophy - Jacob M. Held [82]
This also begins to explain why Kant believes that persons possess unconditional and intrinsic moral worth. Persons possess a kind of inherent dignity that is beyond or above any price. This dignity may not permissibly be sacrificed or traded for any (other nonmoral) goal or project exactly because it is beyond or above any such goal or project. When a person’s dignity is so sacrificed, implicitly the person who fails to recognize the dignity of the other implicitly affirms, “You, fellow person, are not as important or deserving as me; I am more deserving or important than you and thus am at liberty to treat you as a mere tool (means) to achieve my personal projects.” Such affirmations implicitly condone treating persons like mere things. Failing to treat persons with the dignity they inherently possess—and the respect they thereby deserve—is to make the gravest of moral errors.9
Horton clearly saw the difference between persons and things. Horton surmised that the floating dust speck, even though as small as the head of a pin, somehow contained persons; it commanded his attention and demanded his respect. The speck was unusual; he had “never heard tell of a small speck of dust that is able to yell” (Horton). Nevertheless, Horton was perceptive enough—with his inordinately large and sensitive moral ears—to realize that the inhabitants of that speck were very small persons requiring his assistance. Horton learns that the speck denizens are called “Whos,” living in Who-ville. They have houses, churches, and grocery stores. The mayor of Who-ville, on behalf of all the Whos, expresses his gratitude to Horton for the elephant’s careful assistance. Furthermore, that the Whos are persons entails that Horton cannot put a price on their well-being—their dignity as persons is beyond all price. Regardless of how much trouble Sour Kangaroo and the Wickershams cause him, recognizing the Whos’ inherent moral worth—
respecting their dignity as persons—is more important. In fact, nothing could be more important than protecting persons in serious need, especially if providing aid presents no serious harm to you. Horton indeed affirms, “I can’t let my very small persons get drowned! I’ve got to protect them. I’m bigger than they” (Horton).
For Kant, anyone who willingly fails to observe the respect due to a person or themselves acts impermissibly. Moreover, the moral duties owed to persons entails that we must not treat others as a mere means even if upholding those duties is inconvenient or bothersome. And sometimes this can be downright difficult. After all, it would have been much easier for Horton to ignore the speck’s faint yelp on that fifteenth of May. He could have gone back to his splashing in the cool of the pool. He wouldn’t have had to suffer Sour Kangaroo’s disparaging “humpfs” and verbal assaults. His reputation would not have suffered. The Wickersham Uncles and the Wickersham Cousins would have left him alone. But Dr. Seuss provides the reader with someone—Horton—who does the right thing despite all the troubles it entails. Horton goes so far as to spend all day searching three million flowers to find the misplaced Whos. Indeed Horton is willing to sacrifice his personal safety to the extent of being lassoed (with ten miles of rope) and caged by Sour Kangaroo and her cronies. Such is the extent of our obligations to our fellow autonomous persons (no matter how small).
I’ll Stick by You Small Folks through Thin and through Thick!
It seems intuitive that we cannot be morally required to sacrifice our own life for another. This contention is supported by the “ends in themselves” formulation. We are to respect humanity, including that of our own person. Each of us is due equal respect insofar as each of us is autonomous. This entails that no person can be morally required to sacrifice himself or herself for another. Taking action that sacrifices your life, like a parent for a child, is invariably heroic. The