Thanks for Smoking was best described by the Seattle Post as “…a breathtaking satire.” The film is a hilarious comedy about a lobbyist, Nick Naylor (Aaron Eckert), a charismatic spokesperson for Big Tobacco whose job is to discredit all issues related to smoking to the public, even if it kills him. This film puts into perspective many ethical theories and concepts, which are not normally discussed in the film. The major ethical dilemma present throughout the film is how both Naylor and Finistirre go against everything that deontological ethics stands for. Deontological ethics states that an action is considered morally right because of certain characteristics of the action itself, not because the action produces. It's good. A German philosopher named Immanuel Kant is commonly associated with ethics. His law of autonomy states: “A moral agent is one who can act autonomously, that is, as a law unto itself, on the basis of the objective maxims of its reason alone. » Kant believed that all men are morally obligated to do good because we are creatures of reason. One of his most important principles is the freedom to act morally, which for him is the desire to do what is right. The problem with Kant's ethics is that not all good actions can be universalized and where the limit was drawn. For example, if we have a categorical imperative not to lie, is it wrong to lie even if by lying to a mad shooter we can save the life of an innocent person? Naylor's biggest enemy in the film is campaigning Senator Ortolan Finistirre (William Macy). for cigarette manufacturers to put a picture of a skull on every pack of cigarettes. Ultimately, Naylor and Finist...... middle of paper ...... also use ethically questionable things to gain supporters for his cause. He is deceptively using a child with cancer as a plant to bolster his campaign and supporters. Senator Finistirre says: “Fuck non-profits! When you look for a child with cancer, they should be desperate. He should have trouble speaking, he should have trouble breathing. He should be in a wheelchair, carrying a small goldfish in a Zip-lock bag, desperate. » Obviously, he doesn't care about the child who has cancer; he just wants support by any means necessary to prove Naylor right. The governor uses terms like “cancer boy” like he is an object, he only cares about his election. Even though the outcome of Finistirre's campaign is positive, the actions he takes throughout the film are considered morally wrong. This is the complete opposite of what deontological ethics says. Personally, I