Rule utilitarianism

In the dialogue, Utopia, written by Sir Thomas Moore, there are multiple aspects to Utopian society that may strike out in some form or fashion to the reader, whether those aspects may be simply odd, interesting or even appalling. However, if I had to pick out one aspect of More’s Utopian society that stuck out to me in an interesting fashion, it would be the Utopians’ definition of what pleasure truly means in their society, and, I have various reasons to think so in that regard. First of all,…

Based on the Consequentialist/Teleological theory, “Good is prior to the right.” “Good” refers to the nonmoral outcome, and “right” refers to the action based on morality. This theory prioritizes the outcomes of the actions. According to Darwall, “Consequentialist moral theories all agree that the moral rightness and wrongness of acts are determined by the non-moral goodness of relevant consequences” (23). If the outcome is good, then the action is morality right. If the outcome is not good,…

Question one: Morality minimized. The minimum conception of morality, as explained in the first chapter of James Rachels’ The Elements of Moral Philosophy, states the following, “Morality is at the very least, the effort to guide one’s conduct by reason - that is to do what there are the best reasons for doing -- while giving equal weight to the interests of each individual who will be affected by what one does.” To guide one’s conduct by reason is not inherently different from that of cognitive…

The philosophies of Stoicism and Skepticism offer differing ideals that one could almost consider being on opposite ends of the spectrum, yet both believe their way of life leads them to the success and truth humans are after. But which one offers the most logical position? Epictetus presents his thought of Stoicism in The Encheiridion, where he offers advice on how to obtain happiness. David Hume rejects the idea of Stoicism in his essay “The Skeptic”. In the article Hume highlights some of the…

Moral Responsibility In this paper, I will first discuss why the principle of alternate possibilities (PAP) is true by sharing David Copp’s example of PAP and moral responsibility. Then, the argument will be rejected by Frankfurt’s example of a person being neither indifferent nor stampeded by a threat so the person is still morally responsible. Finally, I will show why Frankfurt does not defeat PAP because there are actions that are bigger than the threat being made. To start with, I will…

“But whatever happiness is, we know that we want it, and that is just somehow good.” (CNN, Landau) Point 1: In Why Happiness Is Healthy article, this message stood out to me because I agree with statement Landau made. I have personally experience several times dealing with want to substitute happiness. When wanting a specific good, it can either be materialism or physical. I understand hot cheetos are extremely harmful towards the body’s immune system. However, hot cheetos satisfy me while I…

In order to understand Peter Singer's article "All Animals Are Equal", one has to look at his viewpoint and perspective. Singer is viable, which is somebody who trusts that best result is something that causes that most prominent measure of joy (or minimal measure of pain) for the best number of individuals. Nevertheless, in this definition the word individuals means just people. This is the point that Singer is attempting to contend. Is to state that animals do not feel agony or expertise…

This essay will respond to the questions regarding whether value is objective or subjective, and whether prices can be “fair” or “unfair.” The writings of Etienne Condillac and John Locke reveal that prices are most often objective, and that prices can be either fair or unfair. This essay will evaluate the works from these men and will use practical examples to illustrate the objective nature of value and the varying fairness of prices. Differing preferences, needs, and supply will show the…

Response to “When Life Asks For Everything” In the feature article “When Life Asks For Everything”, David Brooks explains the four different types of happiness. The four different levels of happiness explain the true delight behind each level. The first level of happiness is considered the lowest level of happiness. This level of happiness is joy that comes from materials. This happiness really does not make ones heart joyful I feel as if it is a cover to real happiness. This material…

Daniel Balter 80-130 Essay 1 9-29-17 The Flaws Of The Argument From Marginal Cases The Argument from Marginal Cases is rooted in the idea that certain human beings are “marginal,” in that they are considered lesser, in their abilities or in their value, than other humans. For example, humans with mental or physical disabilities (and in some cases even infants), within the argument from marginal cases, are considered less valuable than the humans without these disabilities, and thus do not…