Utilitarianism

To support utilitarianism, even if money is not used for things of no moral importance, it should be used to promote the most happiness. Which charity should one give their money to in order to accomplish this goal? Singer gives some advice on how to know what charities…

Aristotle’s ethics and John Stuart Mill’s Utilitarianism differ greatly when explaining where an individual’s happiness is. Mill states that pleasure and relief/freedom from pain are what compose an individual’s happiness. On the contrary, Aristotle believes that happiness comes from virtue. Happiness is a widely discussed topic and both John Stuart Mill and Aristotle spent a lot of time contemplating it. They both agreed on one aspect of happiness. They both came to the final conclusion that…

and the virtuous activity of the soul according to reason. Happiness is the good that everything else aims for, even pleasure. On the contrary, John Stuart Mill was a British philosopher born in 1806 that portrayed his views on human good in Utilitarianism. Mill defines happiness as solely pleasure and absence of pain. Since pleasure plays a contrastive…

The 19th century utilitarian philosopher, John Stuart Mill, examines pleasure in chapter two of his text Utilitarianism and proposes his theory on pleasure being the only intrinsic good. Mill states in the “theory of life,” that “all desirable things…are desirable either for pleasure inherent of themselves,” claiming that pleasure is the only reason we as humans should strive for (Mill 10). However, I believe pleasure may not be the only desirable state all humans live to seek. Mill’s hedonistic…

In this day and age, everyone has their own opinion, especially when it comes to topics such as abortion. Abortion is something that is heavily debated in today’s society. It is more than just labeling someone who is a Democrat as being for abortion and someone who is a Republican as being against abortion. Most everyone has his or her own opinion for why he or she thinks abortion is moral or immoral. This paper is going to address how three important philosophers would view abortion. The three…

the worst situation, one has a least well off, the society is an acceptable. Besides, in the society of utilitarianism, it is possible that some persons’ rights and liberties are restricted or rejected for the total benefit of the entire society. On the other hand, in the society of the first principle, the rights and freedom are guaranteed equally. The worst outcome in the society of utilitarianism, therefore, is worth than the one in the society of the first principle. Then, the society of…

Central Theme The author’s main argument in this very interesting book is to analyze what is the right thing to do—as the title indicates. As I read the book, I came to the conclusion that there is no direct answer as to what is the right thing to do, even through all of his examples and references of moral philosophers. It was up to me, the reader, to decide—based on my moral intellectual self—what the right thing to do is. Sandel overall taught us that justice comes in different shapes and…

Utilitarianism is an ethical theory that is concerned with the maximisation of happiness. This theory is used to decide which course of action can best minimise pain while ensuring the majority benefit; through happiness. Jeremy Bentham introduced utilitarianism as “the greatest happiness of the greatest number [,] that is the measure of right and wrong.” This theory demonstrates a straightforward process to defining what is morally acceptable and which actions should be taken. However, by doing…

In the case of Dr. Kim, he should choose to indeed prescribe Paxaflora to his patient Alex. This particular approach allows for one to have a more straightforward method of deciding what the outcome will be. According to the Markkula Center, “Utilitarianism does not care whether the benefits are produced by lies, manipulation, or coercion.” (Velasquez, 1989). With that statement being said, Dr. Kim does not put into thought of the patient’s needs when deciding upon his decision. A good question…

of watching their loved one suffer through their illness. On the opposing side, the theory created by Jeremy Bentham, Utilitarianism is based on consequences. Actions by an individual are judged to be right or wrong through the consequences. If the consequences of someone’s actions are good, it is seen as acceptable and this is known as Act Utilitarianism. Rule Utilitarianism is another form, and this is measured through the amount of happiness or unhappiness created, but not for an individual…