Actions are considered right only if the outcome of the decision maximizes whatever is classified as being good over what would be considered bad. Utilitarianism is the theory that one ought to maximize the happiness and minimize the unhappiness of as many people . It uses an objective process to decide what is right or wrong. It claims that people should follow whichever moral rules will have the best overall impact. do what they CAN do that is good for society. Ethical egoism is the view that people ought to pursue their own self-interest, and no one has any obligation to promote anyone else's interests. You cannot measure happiness in tangible ways. Did the winners have more fun? If you cannot achieve success without bring harm to others, is that really the best outcome? A 3-year-old girl was the recipient of her heart, which is something that Sydneys parents will always treasure. (NOTE: In a previous post, I showed how one utilitarian took on the ambitious task of convincing his readers that the desire to torture other human beings is not wrong). Part of the human condition is to go about life without creating physical harm to others, partially because such a decision could also create harm in our lives too. Decent Essays. Pleasure or Happiness Is the Only Thing That Truly Has Intrinsic Value. We can find a lot of examples of utilitarianism in the annals of world history. To unlock this lesson you must be a Study.com Member. They often consider which option will create the most happiness for the most people before making a decision. Maybe the God question is relevant after all. Utilitarianism is a theory of morality that advocates actions that foster happiness or pleasure and oppose actions that cause unhappiness or harm. Learn about rule utilitarianism and see a comparison of act vs. rule utilitarianism. Utilitarianism holds, first, that a state of affairs is good or bad to some degree . The goal of reducing personal harm while increasing happiness is something that every person pursues at some point in their life. Utilitarianism suggests that the only item of intrinsic worth is happiness, but there are also other commodities that are worth considering. We have also applied it to the ethics of raising animals for food. Some years ago, a student asked to see me during office hours to talk about a personal . PDF Act utilitarianism - PhilPapers We can accurately measure the positive and negative consequences of each action we decide to take as a group. Sometimes what looks to us to be a disaster turns out to be a blessing in disguise. We cannot work out the consequences of every action, and act-utilitarianism is not good at taking a long-term view. Was the amount of happiness equal for all regardless of the outcome of the game? George (we changed his name) is a prime example of this. It forces you to rely on everyone else following the same moral code.

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