In difficult times when the moral implications of one’s actions are unclear, ethical theories serve as a roadmap, guiding our moral compass and making more informed decisions. Two strongly opposing ethical theories which attempt to access the moral nature of individuals and their actions, are utilitarianism and kantian ethics. Founded by Jeremy Bentham, a 19th century social reformer and English philosopher, utilitarianism is a teleological ethical theory which focuses on the consequences of an action when judging its morality. The primary goal of utilitarianism is to maximize happiness for the greatest number of people. Therefore, in order to determine if an action is morally right or wrong we must predict the amount of happiness it will
…show more content…
Not looking solely at the consequences is a significant advantage of kantian ethics. Since the outcome of an action is usually unknown, it is more logical to focus on the motivation behind the action. Judging the manner by which an action is carried out should be a measure of morality not the end result of an action. Another positive effect of kantian ethics is its emphasis on rational thinking. In Kant’s moral philosophy, he describes humans as rational beings capable of reason and therefore worthy of respect. In Kant’s eyes everyone is equal because all individuals share this ability to think rationally. Kant’s respect for human dignity and reason is a benefit of his theory. Encouraging people to think rationally rather than giving into their impulses brought about by feelings of pain and pleasure, makes for a more considerate and less impulsive society overall. Lastly, kantian ethics offers a simple and easy to follow method of evaluating morality. Instead of focusing on consequences which are unpredictable, kantian ethics concentrates on intentions and thereby is a less time indusive and more precise …show more content…
In order to decide which approach is superior one must first analyze the scope of the ethical dilemma, then consider the advantages and disadvantages of a particular ethical theory, and lastly apply the theory which offers the best response to the ethical question at hand. First, let us consider the complex ethical issue of killing. For example, what if in a hypothetical situation there was an accident in which five people lost a substantial amount of blood. The only way to save them was through blood transfusions, but in order to carry out the transfusion effectively they needed to be find a person who matched their blood type. The health clinic isn’t able to find a donor with the blood type needed, and they have lost all hope of saving the people. However, just when everything seems doomed, a person with the matching blood type walks into the clinic. At that moment the doctor assigned to the patients is faced with a difficult ethical dilemma? Should he kill the healthy individual with the correct blood type in hopes of saving five other lives? Or, should he spare the life of the healthy individual and let the others die? While the answer might seem obvious at first glance, utilitarianism and kantian ethics show the complexity of the issue by offering different solutions to these questions. In examining this issue utilitarianism would try to
Not looking solely at the consequences is a significant advantage of kantian ethics. Since the outcome of an action is usually unknown, it is more logical to focus on the motivation behind the action. Judging the manner by which an action is carried out should be a measure of morality not the end result of an action. Another positive effect of kantian ethics is its emphasis on rational thinking. In Kant’s moral philosophy, he describes humans as rational beings capable of reason and therefore worthy of respect. In Kant’s eyes everyone is equal because all individuals share this ability to think rationally. Kant’s respect for human dignity and reason is a benefit of his theory. Encouraging people to think rationally rather than giving into their impulses brought about by feelings of pain and pleasure, makes for a more considerate and less impulsive society overall. Lastly, kantian ethics offers a simple and easy to follow method of evaluating morality. Instead of focusing on consequences which are unpredictable, kantian ethics concentrates on intentions and thereby is a less time indusive and more precise …show more content…
In order to decide which approach is superior one must first analyze the scope of the ethical dilemma, then consider the advantages and disadvantages of a particular ethical theory, and lastly apply the theory which offers the best response to the ethical question at hand. First, let us consider the complex ethical issue of killing. For example, what if in a hypothetical situation there was an accident in which five people lost a substantial amount of blood. The only way to save them was through blood transfusions, but in order to carry out the transfusion effectively they needed to be find a person who matched their blood type. The health clinic isn’t able to find a donor with the blood type needed, and they have lost all hope of saving the people. However, just when everything seems doomed, a person with the matching blood type walks into the clinic. At that moment the doctor assigned to the patients is faced with a difficult ethical dilemma? Should he kill the healthy individual with the correct blood type in hopes of saving five other lives? Or, should he spare the life of the healthy individual and let the others die? While the answer might seem obvious at first glance, utilitarianism and kantian ethics show the complexity of the issue by offering different solutions to these questions. In examining this issue utilitarianism would try to