Animal Rights Throughout history morality has been a topic of intense debate. Innumerable thinkers have devoted immense amounts of time and energy to the formulation of various ethical theories intended to assist humans in their daily lives. These theories set out guidelines which help to determine the rightness or wrongness of any given action and can therefore illuminate which choice would be morally beneficial. And while many of these theories differ substantially‚ most have at least one common
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Utilitarianism is a consequentialist theory that aims to maximize total societal utility. Consequently‚ in determining whether or not there is a moral duty to vote‚ utilitarians would factor in everyone interests — this includes those ineligible to vote‚ noncitizens‚ and future people — to arrive at the total utility calculation. Two types of utilitarians exist. 1) Act utilitarians‚ who act to maximize total social utility‚ and 2) Rule utilitarians‚ who advocate acting according to rules that
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Killing one to save five others is supported by act utilitarianism as it allows for more happiness. The happiness of five people outweighs‚ and creates more happiness‚ than the happiness of only one; as opposed to those same five dying‚ thus making them unable to promote/create happiness. If maximizing utility is the goal‚ there is no doubt that condemning one to save five is permissible under utilitarian principles. The loop variant of the case follows exactly as the original case of the trolley
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Utilitarianism and Kant’s respective have different ways for demonstrating whether an act we do is right or wrong. Corresponding to Kant‚ we should look at our maxims‚ intentions‚ of a particular action. Kantians believe “If we are rational‚ we will each agree to curb our self-interest and cooperate with one another” (Shafer-Landau‚ Russ 194). In other words‚ humans are rational beings capable of rational behavior and should not be used purely for self-interest. On the other hand‚ Utilitarian’s believe
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Williams’s is a popular opponent to John Stuart Mill’s Utilitarian rulebook when it comes to an agent’s individuality. Williams believes that Utilitarianism is flawed because it requires agents to compromise their own individual self-concept both emotionally and morally. He thinks this because Utilitarianism says that in order for every series of events to be morally sound by producing the most happiness one may have to disregard their own projects and perform the action that will cause this outcome
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the autonomous moral theories of the late modern period. The rejection of belief in God led ultimately to new views of human nature The Postmodern World‚ at the start of 20th century‚ moral philosophy was in crisis. Utilitarianism and Kantianism were on uncertain ground. Utilitarianism claims that we have reason to act for the greatest happiness for the greatest number‚ and we are driven toward our own individual happiness. Kantianism
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The primary objective of utilitarianism is to provide the greatest amount of happiness‚ or utility‚ for the most sentient beings possible (Boss 234). Additionally in utilitarianism‚ the morality of an action is determined only by its consequences. In other words‚ intentions are meaningless (Boss 234). Personally‚ I do not agree with the utilitarian notion that intentions don’t matter because no one can predict the consequences of their actions 100 percent of the time. For instance‚ most people would
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important than the act itself? Mill’s utilitarianism and Kantianism sit in opposition to each other. Utilitarianism advocates for the judgment of actions based on the happiness they create and advocate for consequentialism. Kantianism advocates for the judgment of actions based on the intrinsic features of the act. Essentially‚ utilitarianism gives the highest regard to what will happen‚ whereas Kantianism gives regard to what is being done. Although utilitarianism is right to examine how an act affects
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Utilitarian Utilitarian must rely on each individual and feeling‚ each of which individuals are considered to have the same weight‚ and happiness and pain can conversion‚ pain is only negative happiness". Contrary to the general doctrine of ethics‚ Utilitarianism does not consider the motives and means of a person’s actions‚ considering only the consequences of an act’s effect on the maximum happiness. It is good that is the greatest increase in happiness; vice versa. Even if these children do not go to
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Explain Benthams Utiliarianism (30 marks) The theory of utilitarianism was put forward entierly by Jeremy Bentham‚ who wrote about Ethics and Politics. He was a social reformer keen to improve the lives of the working class. Many of the improvements made in the treatments of criminals in the 18th and 19th centuries were the results of Benthems ethics. Bentham believed that which is good is that which equals the greatest sum of pleasure and the least sum of pain. (Hedonism)
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