Utilitarianism is a consequentialist theory created by Jeremy Bentham and later developed by John Stuart Mill. The theory aims to provide the greatest well-being for the most people both individually and through a governments rule. To do this we must access the consequences of the action one is about to undertake and how that action will affect ourselves and those around us who may depend on us. Utilitarianism is often compared to deontological theories such as Kant’s theory of morality as that does not aim to maximise anything and simply follows one’s duties to another person. However, John Mill’s development of Rule Utilitarianism seems to remove the criticism of Act Utilitarianism being too flexible and not following any specific rules or
…show more content…
Rule Utilitarianism still portrays that maximising one’s well-being is the most important, although the method differs from Bentham’s. Rule Utilitarianism is self-explanatory in that it states that we should all follow the rules which will maximise people’s well-being ‘actions are right in proportion as they tend to promote happiness, wrong as they tend to produce the reverse of happiness. By happiness is intended pleasure, and the absence of pain; by unhappiness, pain, and the privation of pleasure.’(Mill,1861). This set of rules can both be moral rules and guidance but also political rules which help governments decide on laws and policies which will maximise the citizen’s well-being and happiness. Rules such as keeping your promises can help maximise another’s well-being but raises the question of whether it could become a universal rule which is followed by all. A dilemma could be raised here of a Nazi officer who asks a German whether he was hiding Jews in his basement. If there was a rule to keep your promises, then he could freely lie to the officer and save the Jews lives. However, there could also be a conflicting rule that one cannot lie meaning the German would have to be truthful and the Jews would be handed over to the Nazi’s. Therefore, the rules from which Rule Utilitarianism can conflict and cause others harm in the minority in situations in which the majority can
Rule Utilitarianism still portrays that maximising one’s well-being is the most important, although the method differs from Bentham’s. Rule Utilitarianism is self-explanatory in that it states that we should all follow the rules which will maximise people’s well-being ‘actions are right in proportion as they tend to promote happiness, wrong as they tend to produce the reverse of happiness. By happiness is intended pleasure, and the absence of pain; by unhappiness, pain, and the privation of pleasure.’(Mill,1861). This set of rules can both be moral rules and guidance but also political rules which help governments decide on laws and policies which will maximise the citizen’s well-being and happiness. Rules such as keeping your promises can help maximise another’s well-being but raises the question of whether it could become a universal rule which is followed by all. A dilemma could be raised here of a Nazi officer who asks a German whether he was hiding Jews in his basement. If there was a rule to keep your promises, then he could freely lie to the officer and save the Jews lives. However, there could also be a conflicting rule that one cannot lie meaning the German would have to be truthful and the Jews would be handed over to the Nazi’s. Therefore, the rules from which Rule Utilitarianism can conflict and cause others harm in the minority in situations in which the majority can