"The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few." Most people have heard the popular Star Trek quote before, either by watching 'The Wrath of Khan,' or by reading the subsequent discussions about ethics that originated from it. The quote is implicitly referring to utilitarianism, the ethical theory that states that the most ethical action is the one that leads to the highest amount of happiness and human flourishing. Utilitarianism is usually portrayed in a bad light in fictional media: the classical utilitarian character is the mustache twirling villain who gives grandiose speeches about killing his enemies and sacrificing the innocent for the "greater good," usually followed by an evil grin and maniacal laughter. In the real world, however,
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Deontologists generally want to help others by following moral rules about supporting their communities, while virtue ethicists wish to become more kind, compassionate, and altruistic individuals. In practice, this means that most people who seek to help others do so by volunteering at soup kitchens, donating money to local charities, and giving food and money to beggars. On the other hand, a utilitarian approach to charity is demonstrated by the movement known as "effective altruism". Effective altruism (EA) means "trying to do as much good as possible with each dollar and each hour that we have. It’s a way of thinking about morality that insists on maximization of good accomplished, and not just satisficing of rules and guidelines ." Organizations that are part of the EA movement use a scientific approach to evaluate the effectiveness of various non-profit charities. They do so by calculating things like the average number of QALYs (Quality-Adjusted Life Year) that will be increased as the result of a charitable contribution. Although it is hard to quantify the impact of a charitable donation with complete accuracy, most EA organizations have so far reported a difference of orders of magnitude between the average charity and the most effective …show more content…
After addressing and rebutting some of the most popular misconceptions and misunderstandings about utilitarianism, I explained the importance of following utilitarian ethics by analyzing how it leads to a better form of charitable giving. I am certain that if more people throughout history had been utilitarians, the world would now be a much better place. Unfortunately, most people’s perception of utilitarianism is distorted by the way it is portrayed in fiction. I can only hope that more people abandon their preconceived notions and take a closer, more honest look at
Deontologists generally want to help others by following moral rules about supporting their communities, while virtue ethicists wish to become more kind, compassionate, and altruistic individuals. In practice, this means that most people who seek to help others do so by volunteering at soup kitchens, donating money to local charities, and giving food and money to beggars. On the other hand, a utilitarian approach to charity is demonstrated by the movement known as "effective altruism". Effective altruism (EA) means "trying to do as much good as possible with each dollar and each hour that we have. It’s a way of thinking about morality that insists on maximization of good accomplished, and not just satisficing of rules and guidelines ." Organizations that are part of the EA movement use a scientific approach to evaluate the effectiveness of various non-profit charities. They do so by calculating things like the average number of QALYs (Quality-Adjusted Life Year) that will be increased as the result of a charitable contribution. Although it is hard to quantify the impact of a charitable donation with complete accuracy, most EA organizations have so far reported a difference of orders of magnitude between the average charity and the most effective …show more content…
After addressing and rebutting some of the most popular misconceptions and misunderstandings about utilitarianism, I explained the importance of following utilitarian ethics by analyzing how it leads to a better form of charitable giving. I am certain that if more people throughout history had been utilitarians, the world would now be a much better place. Unfortunately, most people’s perception of utilitarianism is distorted by the way it is portrayed in fiction. I can only hope that more people abandon their preconceived notions and take a closer, more honest look at