Utilitarianism
Personal experiences have the tendency to impact and alter people’s views. With many backgrounds, it’s difficult for people to agree on what is considered good or bad because of the different background they come from. Furthermore the interpretation of the importance of good for some people may not be important to others.
A good state of affairs is based off of a matter of opinion. What some consider “good” affairs; others may consider “poor”. The statement, there is no single objective sense of a good state of affairs holds truth. Philippa Foot’s Utilitarianism and the Virtues states, “ It can never be right to prefer a worse state of affairs to a better” (198). Foot is correct, however, this statement doesn’t say what specifically would be considered worse or better. If Jenny, the green thumbed outdoors lover woke to a rainstorm, she would be happy her plants were watered. If Lauren, the bride to be, had her outdoor wedding reception during the rainstorm, she would not be thrilled. People are subjective. Therefore what's a “good state of affairs” for Jenny was not a “good state of affairs” for Lauren. Perspectives matter and should not be disregarded.
It is important to question the meaning of a “good state of affairs”. Foot believes, “We should begin by asking why we are so sure that we even understand expressions such as ‘good state of affairs’…”(199). Society uses phrases including “a good event” or “a good thing” commonly therefore the importance of a“ good state of affairs” becomes weakened. This makes it difficult to place a meaning on what “a good state of affairs” is since everyone has different views on the phrase. Since people have different opinion, it is difficult pin pointing what people consider to be good or bad.
A good state of affairs is based off of a matter of opinion. What some consider “good” affairs; others may consider “poor”. The statement, there is no single objective sense of a good state of affairs holds truth. Philippa Foot’s Utilitarianism and the Virtues states, “ It can never be right to prefer a worse state of affairs to a better” (198). Foot is correct, however, this statement doesn’t say what specifically would be considered worse or better. If Jenny, the green thumbed outdoors lover woke to a rainstorm, she would be happy her plants were watered. If Lauren, the bride to be, had her outdoor wedding reception during the rainstorm, she would not be thrilled. People are subjective. Therefore what's a “good state of affairs” for Jenny was not a “good state of affairs” for Lauren. Perspectives matter and should not be disregarded.
It is important to question the meaning of a “good state of affairs”. Foot believes, “We should begin by asking why we are so sure that we even understand expressions such as ‘good state of affairs’…”(199). Society uses phrases including “a good event” or “a good thing” commonly therefore the importance of a“ good state of affairs” becomes weakened. This makes it difficult to place a meaning on what “a good state of affairs” is since everyone has different views on the phrase. Since people have different opinion, it is difficult pin pointing what people consider to be good or bad.