This paper provides a concise comparative overview of four major ethical and philosophical frameworks. It explains Utilitarianism's consequentialist approach to moral decision-making, outlines Kant's Categorical Imperative and its emphasis on universal maxims and human dignity, and examines Sartre's existentialism — including the concepts of anguish, abandonment, and despair — and why Sartre ultimately considers it an optimistic philosophy. Finally, the paper addresses Martin Luther King Jr.'s definition of unjust laws and his argument that individuals hold a moral obligation to resist them through civil disobedience, using racial segregation as a key historical example.
Utilitarianism is an ethical theory holding that the best action is the one that produces the greatest common good. In other words, the morality of an action is determined by its consequences. According to this view, one should evaluate potential actions by considering their impact on the well-being of all affected individuals and choose the action that produces the greatest net benefit. Utilitarianism emphasizes a pragmatic approach to ethics, focusing on outcomes rather than on the intentions behind actions.
Kant's Categorical Imperative is a foundational principle in his moral philosophy, asserting that one should act only according to maxims that can be universally applied. This means an action is morally right if its guiding principle can be consistently willed as a universal law without contradiction. The Categorical Imperative determines morality by requiring individuals to evaluate whether their actions respect the inherent dignity and autonomy of all rational beings — treating others not as means to an end, but as ends in themselves.
"Covers Sartre's core existentialist concepts and optimism"
"King's theory of unjust laws and civil disobedience"
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