Direct Utilitarianism: How I Learned To Drive

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. When deliberating specific types of utilitarianism, one can bring up direct (act) utilitarianism and indirect (rule) utilitarianism. Direct utilitarianism addresses the logic that an action is morally right when it gives the greatest good for the greatest …show more content…
Rules must provide safety and happiness for people. When considering the differences between direct and indirect utilitarianism, the situation displayed in a play called How I Learned To Drive can be assessed. When considering whether it is acceptable for a married man to have sexual relations with a post-pubescent 13-year old girl, not his wife, utilitarianism can be perceived in two different ways. Although this action is repugnant and greatly frowned upon, it is possible that a direct (act) utilitarian in historical periods may justify this. This action brings happiness to the married man, and when considering pleasure is the goal for these utilitarians, it is conceivable to believe it can be accepted. An example in How I Learned to Drive is when a family was eating at the dinner table and the grandma says: “It was legal, what Daddy and I did! I was fourteen and in those days, fourteen was a grown-up woman” (Vogel, 26). The grandma is referring to having sexual relations with a man much older than her. She attempts to justify this to her granddaughter. Sexual relations are brought up multiple times in this play, even with young