proponents of this systems are philosophers by the name of Jeremy Bentham and James Mill. They both have different ideas for how one should go about the use of utilitarianism to achieve the greatest happiness. Bentham’s approach is often called quantitative utilitarianism in which Bentham came up with an idea called the felicific calculus which is a way one can measure the level of happiness that can come out of one certain decision. For Bentham pleasure is countable and tangible‚ by this I mean that pleasure
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outcomes 2) No single deontological theory 3) Kant is one practitioner a) Prohibitions: things you should not do b) Obligations: Things you must do c) Permissions: Things you may do if you want d) Looked for “science of right and wrong in human action” (Boylan‚ 2009‚ p. 176). e) Supreme principle of morality 1) Categorical imperatives 2) Hypothetical imperatives 4) Major criticisms of theory a) Not enough substance b) Major practitioner‚ Kant‚ contradicts himself in his two different forms
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arguments in favour of utilitarianism. Immanuel Kant’s categorical imperative suggests three maxims which separate moral from immoral actions (Kant‚ 1981).The first aspect of this imperative states one can only act morally if the statement by which you are acting becomes universal law without contradiction and the consequences of such are logical (Kant‚ 1981). For example‚ if the statement ‘you ought not kill’ is put forward‚ the universal consequences are logical making it a moral statement. However
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Ethics an Oxymoron Goal In this essay‚ I will strive to answer the question: “Is Business Ethics an Oxymoron? “ by digging deeper into the fundamental values of both legal and illegal business and morally evaluating them under the perspectives of Bentham/Mill (Utilitarianism)‚ Kantianism‚ Virtue Ethics and Christian Ethics. Outline In order to gain a better understanding of the aforementioned topic‚ I will aim in reviewing various forms of business‚ both legal and illegal and dig a bit deeper into
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philosophy was a form of psychological egoism. Psychological egoism is the thesis that we are always deep down motivated by what we perceive to be in our own self-interest. At the beginning of the Introduction to the Principles of Morals and Legislation‚ Bentham writes: Nature has placed mankind under the governance of two sovereign masters‚ pain and pleasure. It is for them alone to point out what we ought to do‚ as well as to determine what we shall do. On the one hand the standard of right and wrong
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feeling of happiness * Instrumental: Used to promote happiness * i.e. exercise‚ money‚ food‚ etc. 7. When we refer to the ‘interests of the community‚’ what does Bentham claim we are referring to (and can only be referring to)? * The sum of the interests of the members who compose the community 8. Does Bentham endorse utilitarianism as a view about personal morality‚ or a view about
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Absolutist An absolutist is a rule that is true in all situations. The rule says things are basically right‚ no matter what the circumstances‚ there is no room for manoeuvre. What makes an ethic deontological is that it pays no regard to consequences‚ as the name makes clear‚ coming from the Greek duty. For example stealing is always wrong. It makes no difference who does it‚ what the reasons were‚ what culture they live in o whether it took place hundreds of years ago. Stealing is just one of those
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who refuse to abide by these laws” (George‚ Smith). In executing consequences for breaking the law‚ Kant states consequently‚ if a certain use of freedom is itself a hindrance to freedom according to universal laws (that is‚ is unjust)‚ then the use of coercion to counteract it‚ inasmuch as it is the preservation of a hindrance to freedom‚ is consistent with freedom according to universal laws (Kant‚ Immanuel‚ and John Ladd 35). This can be interpreted as issuing an equal amount of justice compared
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Chapter 1 The Philosophy of Happiness Aristotle on Happiness Since the earliest days of Western thought philosophers have concerned themselves with the nature of happiness. One of the earliest to ask the question ‘what is happiness?’ was Aristotle‚ who‚ in a manner typical of philosophers‚ before providing an answer insisted on making a distinction between two different questions. His first question was what was meant by the word ‘happiness’—or rather‚ its ancient Greek equivalent eudaimonia. His
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theories which believe in using reason alone to determine the nature of an acton are that taught by Immanuel Kant in what is known as Kantian Ethics and in another theory called Utilitarianism which is followed by such philosophers as Jeremy Bentham‚ John Stuart Mill and Henry Sidgwick. Kantian ethics believes to do good and do what is moral‚ is to do our duty and our duty is to obey the moral law. Kant argues that we must not let our emotions play a part in our moral decision making process because our
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