Examples Of Applied Utilitarianism

Applied Utilitarianism
The definition of this greatly fascinates me. It got me thinking about Capital Punishment. In society, there are rules that each citizen must follow to be considered a good citizen. The rules put in place are usually determined by an educated group of people who create these rules to benefit their community. In some societies, certain acts are punishable by death. The logic behind this is fascinating. For example, if an individual is a killer, most would agree that the person is a harm to their society. The people may agree that the most beneficial action would be to rid the community of that particular person. The process that occurs before this decision would be greatly influenced by utilitarian ethics. These people …show more content…
There is a huge amount of ethics that influences lawmakers, but ultimately, it boils down to utilitarianism. The lawmakers may use their personal ethics to formulate the laws, but the choice is made after they determine who would be affected by these laws, and how it would impact their society. If a law is seen as ineffective and causing problems for the citizens of that community, then a new law may be put into place that would better benefit the people. This is not true for all places, but in a ‘democratic’ country like the United States, this is how it might work. For example, when the Constitution was created, the Framers laid a foundation that they felt would benefit the new nation. These choices were influenced by the things they were put through by the English. Shortly afterward, amendments were made, creating the Bill of Rights. The ability to amend the Constitution was made to benefit the ever changing needs of the American citizens. This choice is a way the American government works to satisfy the most number of citizens. One can see the ever changing needs of the Nation, in the amendments that are made. Each change is made with the intent of keeping large groups of people satisfied with the …show more content…
Recently, before my father passed away from Congestive Heart Failure, he was considering undergoing a heart transplant. This was a very huge decision for him, particularly due to his beliefs. A traditional Navajo is not supposed to have any sort of organ transplants, blood included. Before his health went into rapid decline, he was offered a transplant. He refused, due to the reasons stated above. When he realized how serious his condition was, he told us that he was willing to undergo the surgery. When pressed for a reason, he replied “I saw you guys, and I knew that I didn’t want to put all of you through all the sadness that would come with seeing my health drop”. His decision, to see all of his family and friends happy, as opposed to the worried looks everyone often wore, caused him to overlook his own personal beliefs and make the decision that might give us a reason to smile. This decision, had it been approved, would have been dangerous for him, and may have caused more problems, but he saw it as a way to start over and make everyone happy. Parents often make choices that they feel will greatly benefit the people around them, and not themselves. My mother would often work overtime at her job, to help ease the load off her coworkers, and to make more money for the family. This decision was made at the expense of her well-being, and family