Verified Document

Ethics Utilitarianism Is One Of The Most Essay

Ethics Utilitarianism is one of the most useful ethical theories. It can frame decisions made in almost every aspect of daily life, and also large-scale decisions made by organizations, enterprises, and governments. The basic principles of utilitarianism, as they were developed first by Jeremy Bentham and later by John Stuart Mill, are all based in the essential notion of utility. Utility means usefulness, but it is also related to net benefit.

Utility is defined in terms of the question, "Is this action beneficial? If so, who is it beneficial for, and how beneficial is it?" Utilitarian theory suggests that an ethical decision should weigh the greatest good for the greatest number of people. If an action is beneficial, it should be beneficial to the greatest number of stakeholders. It should be the decision that most maximizes the target population's happiness, or however success is being measured. This end result can be profit, as in the realm of business, or it can be actual happiness created measurable by self-report.

Utilitarianism seems democratic but it can too easily become a tyranny of the majority. John Stuart Mill argued that democracies are especially prone to the "tyranny of the majority" precisely because they apply utilitarian ethics. The greatest good for the greatest number of people means that the smallest number of people will unfortunately not be experiencing their definition of success or happiness. However, there is no reasonable way of making every single human being happy. Utilitarianism is a very practical ethical theory because it recognizes that not all human beings can be happy with the same things. It is good enough to make decisions that maximize happiness for as many people as possible.
Utilitarianism also encourages a complete analysis and assessment of any given situation. This means that the person making the ethical decision cannot be narrow-minded and must weigh all possible scenarios. The person making ethical…

Sources used in this document:
References

"Ethics 5: Utilitarianism." [video]. Retrieved online: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JdtWu4Cqx1Y

"John Stuart Mill's Essay On Liberty." Retrieved online: http://www.serendipity.li/jsmill/jsmill.htm

Santa Clara University (n.d.). A framework for thinking ethically. Retrieved online: http://www.scu.edu/ethics/practicing/decision/framework.html
Cite this Document:
Copy Bibliography Citation

Related Documents

Utilitarianism and Categorical Imperatives a Comparison of
Words: 1076 Length: 4 Document Type: Thesis

Utilitarianism and Categorical Imperatives A Comparison of the Theories of Utilitarianism and Categorical Imperatives The principles of Utilitarianism and Categorical Imperatives contradict each other on many fronts. Both provide a rational for making moral decisions, both have benefits and flaws. A compelling argument can be made for each. From my perspective the principal's of Kant exemplify a more ethical way to conduct life. Utilitarianism Utilitarianism as a specific school of thought is generally credited

Utilitarianism Utilitarian Ethics Was First
Words: 1748 Length: 5 Document Type: Book Report

Today's laws consider human life the highest of all rights. Hence also the ethical difficulty relating to abortion. Although abortion might be the utilitarian course of action; the mother does not have the finances to support a baby: there is no husband; the baby will not have access to his or her basic rights as a person, the ethical viewpoint of many fundamentalists is that it simply cannot be

Utilitarianism the Philosophy of Utilitarianism
Words: 1787 Length: 5 Document Type: Thesis

Lastly, it runs counter to the view that morality is essentially related to the concept of justice. Many critics of this theory argue that, "morality is not based on consequences of actions. Instead, it is based on the fundamental concept of justice" (Lee). In the final analysis, the dilemma in utilitarianism is that it unable to deal with a wide range of moral issue and actins and, as such, tends

Utilitarianism: A Closer Look Utilitarianism Is an
Words: 1131 Length: 4 Document Type: Term Paper

Utilitarianism: A Closer Look Utilitarianism is an old political theory. It has been put forth in one form or another by many political philosophers over the years as the basis for a good political system. Epicurus was one of the early proponents of utilitarianism, though he did not call it by that name. However, he did promote the idea that happiness or pleasure was a good indicator of moral decisions. Jeremy

Utilitarianism As It Relates to Sports
Words: 1347 Length: 4 Document Type: Term Paper

Utilitarianism as it Relates to Sports There are many philosophies that make up the social and political structures of nations around the world. Many of these philosophies can also be applied to sports and sports related activities. The purpose of this discussion is to explore the concept of Utilitarianism. We will begin by defining the philosophy and addressing the beliefs of Utilitarians. We will then discuss how Utilitarian beliefs relate to sports. Utilitarianism Utilitarianism

Utilitarianism the Fall of Utilitarianism
Words: 1684 Length: 5 Document Type: Term Paper

The satisfaction derived from that is by reason of good will towards the common man and not some universal pleasure felt by all men. But what about pain? Is Mills seems to be stating that happiness is the absence of pain. But is not some pain beneficial? Our reaction to spoiled milk that prevents us from drinking it for example. Wait, perhaps there are levels of pain that need to

Sign Up for Unlimited Study Help

Our semester plans gives you unlimited, unrestricted access to our entire library of resources —writing tools, guides, example essays, tutorials, class notes, and more.

Get Started Now