Utilitarianism Essays
Outline the main principles of utilitarianism Utilitarianism is a teleological theory. Three main philosophers have come up with different types of utilitarianism these being: Bentham, Mill and Singer. Bentham introducing the idea of Act Utilitarianism, Mill adapting the ideas of Bentham and trying improve the flaws he saw with his Rule utilitarianism and Singer with…
It was John Stuart Mill’s aim to revise and adapt Bentham’s ideas. Mill felt that this revision was necessary because many other writers had criticized Bentham’s work. Indeed Mill agreed with the criticisms that had been made and perhaps part of Mills response can be seen as an intellectual rebellion against his one time teacher….
Although Utilitarianism as a whole is a complicated and flawed ideology, Rule Utilitarianism (the more sympathetic concept of the two) tends to be more plausible than Act Utilitarianism. However Rule Utilitarianism is not without its own flaws that critics of JS Mill indicate. Critics of JS Mill say that Act Utilitarianism is more plausible because…
The negative association with sex outside of marriage arises due to the many consequences it could have; such as the ‘broken trust’ that follows due to the violation of the vows taken inferno of God. With infidelity that has been committed by the women brings uncertainty on who the father is of any offspring this…
I will then explicate the main points of virtue theory. Following that, I will argue that the tenets of virtue theory instead works In favor of letting the miners keep their Job. As well, I will explain the utilitarian theory, and follow that by arguing that utilitarianism, as well. Would favor the continued operation of…
Examine how different ethical theories/religious viewpoints approach the issue of abortion. To what extent do you think they are successful in resolving the controversies? Abortion is a very controversial subject in todays society, and although it is now legal in most Western countries, there are as many viewpoints and arguments opposing abortion as there are…
Utilitarianism is concerned only with the happiness of the community and not that of the individual. How far do you agree? Utilitarianism by definition is the greatest happiness for the greatest number, therefore a community of people would most likely gain priority over an individual. If a positive act were to benefit a family of…
Gul Sera Gursoy Professor Fischer RHT 1300 08.03.2013 Text Analysis The Problem of Speciesism: How Peter Singer Conveys It In the article “Speciesism” Peter Singer, philosopher, activist and author discusses the serious moral setback in society concerning other species. He describes the word ‘speciesism’ as “a prejudice or attitude of bias in favor of interests…
Name: Instructor: Course: Date: Existential Philosophy Descartes rationalism states that knowledge starts from doubting all forms of experience. By doubting this experience, a scientific process of inquiry begins. To determine one’s true existence, one has to doubt it. This is because man can only be sure of his existence if he thinks. Therefore, doubting is…
Let us analyze the ethical aspects of human genetic engineering from a utilitarian view point. The practical implications of utilitarianism can best be conveyed in the context of recent advances in biotechnology. Now that the human genome has been decoded, the ramifications of a utilitarian ethic go far beyond socioeconomic and legislative reform. In a…
The concept behind simple utilitarian thinking is that the good society is one that promotes human well-being and happiness and that right actions are those that maximize that total happiness of all persons affected by the action. This is the “principle of utility.” It means that in any situation one should identify all of the…
The Castle of Otranto Horace Walpole, 1765 (Enlightenment) C LIST A Vindication of the Rights of Woman Mary Wollstonecraft, 1792 (Early Romantic) D LIST The Monk M.G. Lewis, 1796 (Early Romantic) C LIST Gothic Novel. Songs of Innocence William Blake, 1789 (Enlightenment) C LIST Songs of Experience William Blake, 1789 (Enlightenment) C LIST “Marriage of…
Charles Darwin and John Stuart Mill were both influential thinkers of the nineteenth century. The lifetime’s work of Charles Darwin has been in the realm of evolutionary biology, but his theories are highly relevant for contemporary human societies as well. John Stuart Mill, on the other hand, is best known for his conception of the…
Managers will do well to follow ethical principles while discharging their duties of Information Management. Information Systems managers face ethical dilemmas numerous times during their tenure and following a set ethical guidelines is quite useful. Firstly, when confronted by an ethical dilemma, managers will analyze the situation by evaluating the possible consequences of various options…
The conflict in Vietnam brought unthinkable horrors to the Vietnamese, but also to the American G.I.’s (General Infantryman) involved. Oliver Stone’s “Platoon” is one of the few films that truly details the horrors of the Vietnam war in a realistic manner. Platoon delivers this to us through a multitude of characters and their corresponding actions,…
What is a gang? A set of implements or devices arranged to operate together; a group of persons working or associated together; a group of young criminals or young delinquents What is a club? an association or organization dedicated to a particular interest or activity. What is a gang banger? -usually young men obsessed with…
The Age of Faith title of the ancient, classical, medieval period 1350 the ancient, classical, medieval period lasted from the beginning of time until about ____ AD Other during the ancient, classical, medieval period, the cosmology was that the _____ is the center of the universe (astronomically/ideologically) theology during the ancient, classical, medieval period, the…
The movie, “The Cider House Rules,” poses significant questions about the morality of abortion and the topic is approached from both sides of the argument. Dr. Larch believes abortion is necessary and Homer Wells is entirely against it; he voices his opposition whenever Dr. Larch brings it up. However, by the end of the film,…
While Utilitarianism as a practical philosophy can find application in affairs of democratic policy making and economics, its stature are a satisfactory system of morality is contested. The scholarly consensus as of date is that Utilitarianism is a partial system of morality and is somewhat inadequate on account of its authors’ reluctance to front up…
The New World in “Brave New World” was created to be a utopian society, but this seemingly perfect world is truly a non-individualistic conformist society. Drugs, sex, utilitarianism, social classes, and the destruction of the family unit are all prevalent in this society.Governmental control has overstepped it’s boundaries by controlling the reproduction process. It also…
What is the difference between descriptive ethics and normative ethics? What role do values play in each of these two approaches to ethics? Provide examples to illustrate your points. Descriptive ethics is founded on the belief that humans are ‘hard-wired’ to be selfish. That is, they are for the most part absorbed in fulfilling their…
Task 1 Utilitarianism – A moral philosophy in which an action, either wrong or right is based on its consequences. That is, if it provides happiness for a majority of people. Natural Law – A body of principles that provide characteristic attributes in humans and is very important in a society. It is a moral…
Ethical issues exist in all areas of criminal justice system (from passage of laws to punishment) Criminal justice professionals have discretion Legislators: in making laws Police: in enforcing laws Attorneys and Judges: affecting justice process Correctional Professionals: affecting offenders lives What do criminal justice professionals have in common? power to make decisions duty to enforce…
The idea of unification can be expressed in two different ways. The Italy can be unified geographically or in a national sense. However, in 1861 Italy seemed to be neither of these.The kingdom of Italy was created in 1861 but Italy as a geographical expression was still incomplete. However, the only two states not included…
Kantian moral philosophy is called the categorical imperative, which was formulated by German philosopher Immanuel Kant. Kant is an 18th century German philosopher who proposed a criterion of moral obligation that is a stark deviation from the traditional moral philosophies of his time. Traditional moral philosophies prior to Kant focused on good character traits and…
The 17th century was a horrible age of wars and it was during this time period that the 30 Years War took place.Religion also played a large part in modernity.It was starting to separate from the government at this time, and at the same time, the rise of scientific knowledge began.The 18th century is where…
Why was GM justified to close plants in Flint? General Motors under the authority of Roger Smith, the chairman, decided to close 11 plants in Flint, MI.These closing would lay off about 40,000 workers in the local area.Since 1983, car sales were steadily rising and GM had posted record profits of nearly $19 billion.So why…
How far did popular unrest contribute to political reform? The pressure supplied by large numbers of people and many different lobby groups at the time of early industrialisation, did to a large extent, help forge a way for political reform, however it was not the only factor. In the metamorphosis period of industrialisation where British…
Along with other noted philosophers, John Stuart Mill developed the nineteenth century philosophy known as Utilitarianism – the contention that man should judge everything in life based upon its ability to promote the greatest individual happiness. While Bentham, in particular, is acknowledged as the philosophy's founder, it was Mill who justified the axiom through reason….
ompare Mill and Kant’s ethical theories; which makes a better societalorder? John Stuart Mill (1808-73) believed in an ethical theory known asutilitarianism. There are many formulation of this theory. One such is,“Everyone should act in such a way to bring the largest possibly balance ofgood over evil for everyone involved.” However, good is a relative…
