Utilitarianism

Utilitarianism is a philosophical concept within the study of ethical behavior. It is correlated to a branch of philosophical ethics termed normative ethics1. Normative ethics is an examination of self-behavior; it attempts to define what makes an action morally sound. Utilitarianism asserts that the moral action is the one that maximizes utility. Utility can be defined in various ways, such as pleasure, financial security and lack of suffering3. The two predominate figure heads of…

The ethical principle of acting for “the greater good” has its origins in Utilitarianism, a philosophical theory which states that an action is right if it benefits the majority in a given situation. Several realist skeptics of the theory however believe that for the greater good, one must do a little wrong. These individuals assume that any action done in the interest of the majority must be accompanied by a slightly immoral or unjust deed. This essay will discuss how this belief is invalid…

normative ethics, a person discerns what is right or wrong behavior. There are several theories about what is right or wrong conduct, but two of the most popular ideas is Utilitarianism and Kantianism. Both set up strict methods of deciding how a person would know what the right thing to do in a situation would be. On one hand, utilitarianism claims that you can use intuition to discern what the greatest good for the greatest number of people is. On the other side, Kantianism claims that you can…

Act Utilitarianism Versus Rule Utilitarianism Act utilitarianism and rule utilitarianism are two utilitarian moral theories which determine the moral status of actions based on consequences. I will begin by explaining what act utilitarianism is and its appeal. Then I will argue that although act utilitarianism is appealing, it is flawed because it conflicts with intuitive moral verdicts concerning individual rights, and that it is an impractical theory to implement. Afterwards, I will describe…

there are two types of utilitarianism and that one is the correct and true form of utilitarianism and the other is not. Smart gives many reasons why one is the right version and the other is wrong but ultimately, there is an objection to the version he defends. Smart believes that there are two types of utilitarianism, restricted and extreme. Restricted utilitarianism has moral rules that everyone must follow even if breaking the rule means greater utility. Extreme utilitarianism disregards…

couldn’t promise he could pay him back in that time period or possibly ever, utilitarianism would take the stance that David has the moral obligation to give John the money anyway. If David has enough extra money to be able to borrow it in the first place, he has the duty to do so and prevent the child from suffering. The fact that David may not get his money back would be a sacrifice he is obligated to make. Utilitarianism views giving as a way of fulfilling your moral duty, not as charity.…

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…

Bernard Williams’ critique of utilitarianism is rooted in the theory’s absent consideration of the “moral agent”. His argument beings with two scenarios, the first being whether George should accept a job due to his conflicting views but necessity for it, and the second being whether Jim should kill one Indian to save nineteen others. According to the utilitarian George should take the job and Jim should kill the Indian, being as Williams states “obviously the right answers,” (Williams 97).…

For years contemporary philosophers have contemplated the implication of a political philosophy known as Utilitarianism. Utilitarianism is a concept that can be encapsulated by both of its unique tenets, ecstasy and consequentialism. When I speak of ecstasy, I am referring to the notion of nearly complete happiness. The word ‘Ecstasy’ seems to convey a stronger meaning of the concept of happiness. So, from here on I shall use the word ‘Ecstasy’ when referent to happiness. When I speak of…

Utilitarianism is an ethical theory that says morality is related to the amount of happiness moral acts produce. Although there are many forms of Utilitarianism, in this paper I am concerned only with Act Utilitarianism, a form of Utilitarianism that places moral emphasis on particular acts. For purposes of simplicity, I will be referring to Act Utilitarianism short-hand as Utilitarianism. Further, Act Utilitarianism can be interpreted through a lens of either practical or theoretical ethics.…