Meaning And The Consequences Of Utilitarianism

It 's that time of year: holiday gatherings and the related stresses that are inevitably involved. We see people who we love, and people we may not like so much. There are people who we see only once a year for a reason. Although it was frequently an unpleasant occasion, for many years I attended a Thanksgiving gathering with my father’s side of the family for the sake of my father, an aunt, and my grandmother. These three loved ones are no longer living and it has been a surprise that my one surviving aunt has decided to continue the tradition. She herself has avoided the gathering and was estranged from her sister for many years. She has not been kind to my siblings and I, but seems to be reaching out to us because we are the last remaining …show more content…
Utilitarianism is a moral theory where actions are evaluated by the consequences of that action. The most moral action is the one that brings the most happiness to the most people involved. This is difficult to ascertain, because one must make assumptions about the feelings of others involved. I will enjoy seeing my sister and niece and their families and feel certain that they will be happy to see me. Because my aunt invited me, I will assume that she will enjoy seeing me. To give this decision a numerical score, I will use the utilitarian calculus2, and score based on what I believe will be the pleasure or pain for all those in attendance. The utilitarian calculus was developed by philosopher Jeremy Bentham to determine which action is morally …show more content…
I could tell the truth, that I do not wish to attend the family gathering because it causes me much discomfort. Telling the truth would be moral but it would not be virtuous. To be virtuous I should act out of respect and concern for others. I should attend the family gathering to show respect for those who invited me and to spend time with my loved ones to show them that I care about them. Aristotle was a Greek philosopher who believed and taught that through being moral, we are naturally