Examples Of Classic Utilitarianism

Decent Essays
A government sets rules and regulations in their country in order to ensure safety for every person’s wellbeing. Speed limits, for example are enforced to prevent fatal accidents. Although some individuals wish to go faster or slower than what the speed limit calls for, the medium makes the majority of individuals satisfied which is the goal of Utilitarianism, to maximize pleasure. Utilitarianism is an ethical theory that takes people’s welfare into consideration when out weighing the consequences. It is based on the sum of pleasures while attempting to mitigate. In layman’s terms it tells us what we ought to do to generate the best consequence. Classic Utilitarianism originated from Jeremy Bentham an English law student who was a believer

Related Documents

  • Great Essays

    It is a form of consequentialism (i.e. the morality of an action should be judged by its consequences) which states that “an act is right if and only if when compared with all options, it maximizes the existence of pleasure in the whole world” (Bentham). In simpler terms, utilitarianism advocates for the “greatest good for the greatest number.” For example, say you were trapped in a falling elevator with five individuals. You have two options: 1) Kill one of the occupants so the elevator can stop its rapid descent and the remaining five people can get to safety; or 2) refuse to harm anyone but have everyone (including yourself) die from the impact of the elevator striking the ground. What should you do?…

    • 1937 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Great Essays
  • Improved Essays

    4. How might utilitarianism be used to resolve dilemma 4 (pg. 132 of Jones)? Do you agree with this resolution? Why or why not?…

    • 1308 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Utilitarianism is an approach to ethics that states that utility, also known as happiness, is inherently desirable. It examines the consequences of actions rather than the act itself, and maintains…

    • 1232 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    The two moral theories we really took inspiration from is Ethical Egoism, and Utilitarianism. Ethical Egoism is serving your own self interests, and to be moral in this theory is to act in our own self interests, and is immoral not too. Utilitarianism is a theory that focuses on maximizing pleasure for the most amount of people, and minimizing pain for the most amount of people. The way Utilitarianism does this is by looking at the consequences for the action you are going to do.…

    • 1205 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    What is Utilitarianism? Utilitarianism is a philosophical concept that holds an action to be held right if it tends to promote happiness for the greatest number of people. Utilitarian’s define the morally right actions as those actions that maximize happiness and minimize misery. Many believe that utilitarianism is an unrealistic theory. Arguments and responses to utilitarianism being too demanding have been made John Stuart Mill and Peter Singer.…

    • 783 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Utilitarianism is one of the most addressed ideologies in ethics. Blackburn explains this ideology as: “It concentrates upon general well-wishing or benevolence, or solidarity or identification with the pleasures and pains or welfare of people as a whole” (Blackburn, 86). To expand on this quote, the basic goal of utilitarians is to have the greatest happiness for the greatest number of people in a society. (Blackburn, 82). It focuses on actions that are morally right and forward-looking.…

    • 1122 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    The Argument of Utilitarianism In “Utilitarianism” John Stuart Mill presents the case of Utilitarianism as a moral theory. Moral theories are structured as a set of statements used to predict a set of factors or concept. Moral theories are thought to be universal and tell which action is the right one in any given situation. Utilitarianism is one the most influential and best known moral theories, often called “The Greatest Happiness Principles”.…

    • 1146 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    People who are mentally ill and commit crimes are able to get therapy rather than be punished. There are multiple ideologies that argue whether or not therapy should be an option. For example, the idea of Utilitarianism is to promote the greatest amount of happiness possible. In this essay, I will be arguing that Utilitarianism supports the idea of therapy because it brings greater happiness for the many, it allows society to help those who refused to be helped, and there is no “right” and “wrong” in treating those who don’t want to be treated. Utilitarianism’s main focus is to do whatever brings about the most happiness and do least of whatever brings unhappiness.…

    • 1041 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Utilitarianism is the “theory that the right action…

    • 1100 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    The utilitarian principals originated with Jeremy Bentham who was an English philosopher, social…

    • 1109 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Superior Essays

    Ethics Of Care Essay

    • 1527 Words
    • 7 Pages

    Humans thrive on the ability to make choices and have options. Choices allow for the greatest individuals benefit and ensures that we survive by making the best decisions for our well-being. Modern society has evolved in a way where we are no longer in constant danger for our lives, but instead, are looking for ways to thrive. Utilitarianism is a well-known moral theory that bases itself on the universal principle of utility which is described as “always acting in ways that maximize happiness and minimizing harm for the aggregate”. A theory such as Utilitarianism is very attractive and makes moral sense intuitively.…

    • 1527 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Superior Essays

    Utilitarianism is an ethical theory based on the greatest good for the greatest number of people. The moral philosopher Bentham wanted decisions to be made that would result in the most pleasure. It is also based on the final outcome, so for something to be considered right or wrong, it is determined by the consequences. This theory does not…

    • 1285 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Utilitarianism focuses on the consequences of an action. Endowing to the classical utilitarian moral theory, we classify human acts or practices as we consider neither the nature of the acts or practices nor the motive for which people do what they do. This can harvest to one’s action; that a life conceivably is saved, which matters morally. There is no total distinction between what is right and what is wrong based on Bentham’s view, only if the consequences are the highest favorable for the person’s greatest happiness, even including the majority of the people related to this person who is responsible to give that action. Drawing a conclusion about utilitarianism, it is our duty to decide which action or practice is best by considering the likely or actual consequences of each substitute.…

    • 1521 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Superior Essays

    Utilitarianism is one of the persuasive approaches to ethics in the history of philosophy. It is widely used by everyone on a daily basis but has barely gotten recognition it deserves. Utilitarianism was founded in Ancient Greece but was not popularly used until the 19th century when it was re-introduced by Jeremy Bentham and John Stuart Mill. While both men are credited as two of the most influential people in the foundation of, what we now consider, ethical theory. The approach in which we utilize the theory to make decisions is different from each other.…

    • 1521 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Great Essays

    It looks at what is morally right and wrong and their consequences. Depending on the pros and cons of this discussion, a utilitarian would choose the option that gives the most pleasure or happiness or “maximizes utility” (Rachels). Topics that are evaluated by this can include moral codes, laws, policies, etc. One of the biggest benefits of utilitarianism is the idea that the approach makes a decision on a case-by-case basis. Classical utilitarianism can be summed up in three statements: 1.…

    • 1747 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Great Essays