Utilitarianism and Business Ethics Utilitarianism is a normative‚ consequentialist‚ empirical philosophy which links the idea of a good action to one which promotes maximum pleasure or happiness‚ found by adding up costs and benefits (or pains and pleasures). It has two classic formulations - Bentham’s hedonistic (pleasure-based) act utilitarianism and Mill’s eudaimonistic (happiness-based) rule utilitarianism. In this article we make some preliminary comments on Bentham and Mill before analysing
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and all virtue we choose partly for themselves—for we would choose each of them even if no further advantage would accrue from them—but we also choose them partly for the sake of happiness‚ because we assume that it is through them that we will be happy. On the other hand‚ no one chooses happiness for the sake of honor‚ pleasure‚ and the like‚ nor as a means to anything at all” (Aristotle; Nicomachean Ethics‚ p.51). 2.) Aristotle explains how happiness can be considered the final virtue sought after
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the surplus over pain and everything we do is motivated by a desire to maximise pleasure and minimise pain. Preference utilitarianism‚ on the other hand‚ is the view that what is good for a person and what is good overall is determined entirely by people’s preferences. In what follows‚ I will argue that Preference utilitarianism is not more plausible than Hedonistic utilitarianism. Hare‚ a preference utilitarian‚ view is that human logic applies to moral assertions and that moral judgements can be
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In the case of Utilitarianism‚ the ultimate goal to be constantly striving towards is ensuring the most happiness for the largest amount of people‚ while also striving for the least possible amount of pain‚ hardship‚ and unhappiness. This is very similar to the true concept of free speech‚ which‚ as mentioned earlier‚ is the right to express one’s opinions as he or she sees fit‚ so long as the rights of others are not infringed upon/violated. Utilitarianism would assert that taking away
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Utilitarianism Utilitarianism the ethical doctrine of the greatest happiness of the greatest number should be the criterion of the virtue of action. The principle that utilitarianism use in making moral decisions is a form of moral hedonism; that people should seek pleasure and avoid pain. Utilitarianism seeks to produce the greatest good for the greatest number. But‚ the problem is in determining what the greatest good is. Utilitarian define the “good” as good is what equates pleasure and reduces
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been the concept of utilitarianism. Utilitarianism states that in general the ethical rightness or wrongness of an action is directly related to the utility of that action. Utility is more specifically defined as a measure of the goodness or badness of the consequences of an action. Utility is considered to be the tendency to produce happiness. There are two types of Utilitarianism; "act" and "rule". An act utilitarian uses thought processes associated with utilitarianism to make all decisions
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Utilitarianism‚ by John Stuart Mill‚ is an essay written to provide support for the value of utilitarianism as a moral theory‚ and to respond to misconceptions about it. Mill defines utilitarianism as a theory based on the principle that "actions are right in proportion as they tend to promote happiness‚ wrong as they tend to produce the reverse of happiness." Mill defines happiness as pleasure and the absence of pain. He argues that pleasure can differ in quality and quantity‚ and that pleasures
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Utilitarianism as an ethical theory Utilitarianism is the view that an act is right if it equals the greatest happiness for the greatest number of people. Utilitarians describe moral actions as actions that boost something good and lessen something that is bad. Virtue‚ knowledge‚ and goodwill are all good but they are only good if they give people a pleasurable existence. Pain is the only thing that is intrinsically bad. Utilitarians focus on the result of an act instead of the inherent
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In this essay I will discuss Utilitarianism by first explaining how Utilitarians are consequentialists who base their actions on the pleasure of pain of their consequences. Secondly‚ Jeremy Bentham will be discussed as the propagator of the Principle of Utility which determines human self-interest and voluntary action to achieve the greatest good or greatest pleasure. Thirdly‚ I will discuss John Stuart Mills and his more complex version of Utilitarianism. To clarify the Utilitarian theory I will
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what everyone wants. There may be one person that does not want what everyone wants and they have the right to want something else or do something else. Not just because he or she disagrees means that the person has to follow the ones that agree because they are many. Libertarianism focuses on the needs of the individual not just on the community. Utilitarian’s focus more on the community. They want what’s best and what will benefit the community. In contrast libertarianism focuses on self-government
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