2014 · GS Paper 4 · Q3(b) · 10 marks
"Human beings should always be treated as 'ends' in themselves and never as merely 'means'." Explain the meaning and significance of this statement, giving its implications in the modern techno-economic society.
In short
Kant's statement means every person has dignity rather than a price, so others may never be used merely as tools without consent and regard for their own ends. In a techno-economic society this demands consent-based data use, as in the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023.
Model answer
Ghissu Editorial · Verified 4 Oct 2026 · 277 words
Dignity, not price
Things have a price, but a rational person has dignity, an irreplaceable worth, because he sets his own ends; the wrong lies in using others merely as tools, without consent.
Check on utilitarian sums
The principle forbids sacrificing one person for a larger total, so no welfare gain justifies torture, forced sterilisation or a fake encounter.
Constitutional echo
The Preamble's "dignity of the individual", Article 21 in Puttaswamy (2017) and Ambedkar's 1949 call for "one man one value" carry the same idea.
Labour
The Rana Plaza collapse (2013), killing over 1,100 garment workers, showed people treated as inputs; the Code on Social Security, 2020 recognises gig workers.
Data
Cambridge Analytica (2018) used Facebook profiles without consent; the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023 makes consent the rule.
Design and AI
The CCPA's dark-pattern guidelines (2023) ban manipulative tricks, and automated hiring or credit decisions need human review so a person is not reduced to a score.
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Contributions of moral thinkers and philosophers from the world14 questions
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Question from the official UPSC Civil Services (Main) Examination 2014 paper. Answer written by Ghissu's engine and checked against our editorial standards. Found an error? Tell us and we correct it within 48 hours.