Essay about Utilitarianism Explanation And Study of...

Utilitarianism: Explanation And Study of Criticisms The dictionary definition of Utilitarianism is: The doctrine that the greatest happiness of the greatest number should be the guiding principal of conduct. When making a moral decision, we should look at the outcome of an action. Whatever brings the greatest happiness to the most people is the morally right decision. It is a consequentialist principal where the majority rules. It is also relative as each situation is looked at differently and will have a different outcome. Utilitarianism is known as the theory of utility. The meaning of utility is usefulness. Each action is judged by its usefulness in bringing about desired consequences.†¦show more content†¦Act utilitarianism is concerned with individual acts, while rule utilitarianism is concerned with the rules we follow when we act. Act utilitarians think that we should do whatever act will bring about the most good and the least bad. Rule utilitarians think that we should follow rules that will bring about the greatest good and the least bad for everyone affected. Preference utilitarianism focuses on the inclination of the people involved. The act utilitarian believes that we cannot establish general rules because people and situations are all different. Problems for act utilitarianism include the following: We cant always know what is good for others. It takes too long to work out what to do. We cannot teach others how to act if there are no rules to follow. The rule utilitarian believes that there are enough similarities among people and situations to justify setting up general rules to govern our actions. Problems for rule utilitarians include the following: Its hard to be sure that the rules will bring about the best consequences for all affected Its hard to avoid making exceptions to the rules The best rule might just be to be an act utilitarian. Preference utilitarianism is also not a totally secure theory because it is difficult to predict the inclinations of the party concerned.Show MoreRelatedUtilitarianism, By John Stuart Mill1372 Words   |  6 PagesAct Utilitarianism is a long standing and well supported philosophical argument that when boiled down to its most basic elements, can be described as creating â€Å"the greatest good for the greatest number† (122). Such was the sentiment of John Stuart Mill, one of act utilitarianism’s (also known as just utilitarianism) greatest pioneers, and promoters. Mills believed that his theory of always acting in a way that achieved the greatest net happiness was both superior to other philosophical theories andRead MoreThe Theory Of Utilitarianism By John Stuart Mill1659 Words   |  7 Pagesmaking represents the theory of utilitarianism. Utilitarianism is a theory, in the simplest form of choosing pleasure over pain, established by Jeremy Bentham and further dev eloped with other philosophers, most notably by John Stuart Mill. The use of utility obtains calculated values from multiple circumstances, ranging from the intensity to the extent of pain and pleasure that becomes involved within the decision. A large controversial topic involving utilitarianism is terminal illness and whetherRead MorePHL 215 Version 6 Moral Social And Political Philosophy Matrix And Essay Parts 1 2 2 2993 Words   |  4 Pages Definition Historical Developments Schools Of Thought Key Contributors Principal Issues Moral Principals of right and wrong in behavior and ethical code Good moral judgment, The philosophical study of moral judgments- value judgments about what is virtuous or base, just or unjust and morally right or wrong, morally sound or unfair or evil, morally proper or improper. 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