For consequentialism, the moral rightness or wrongness of an act depends on the consequences it produces. Utilitarianism is a form of consequentialism. The discussion is divided into three parts: the first part explains what utilitarianism is, the second discusses some varieties (or types) of utilitarianism, and the third explores whether utilitarianism is persuasive and reasonable. The aim of this chapter is to explain why utilitarianism reaches such a conclusion as described above, and then examine the strengths and weaknesses of utilitarianism. In other words, the action produced more pleasure or happiness than pain or unhappiness, that is, it increased net utility.
Peter’s act of stealing is morally right because it produced more good than bad. This justification is based on the calculation that the benefits of the theft outweigh the losses caused by the theft. Therefore, for utilitarians, Peter’s stealing from John (the “means”) can be justified by the fact that the money was used for the treatment of Sandra and the tuition fees of Ann and Sam (the “end”). In our example, Peter stole from one person who has less need for the money, and spent the money on three people who have more need for the money.
For utilitarians, stealing in itself is neither bad nor good what makes it bad or good is the consequences it produces. Utilitarianism, however, will say what Peter has done is morally right. Therefore, we will say that what Peter has done- stealing from John-is morally wrong. One could say that stealing is morally wrong. So, he steals $1000 from John in order to pay for Sandra’s treatment and to pay the tuition fees of Ann and Sam. From his perspective, there are only two alternatives: either he pays by stealing or he does not.
Peter has no source of income and he cannot get a loan even John (his friend and a millionaire) has refused to help him. Although he has no money, his family still depends on him his unemployed wife (Sandra) is sick and needs $500 for treatment, and their little children (Ann and Sam) have been thrown out of school because they could not pay tuition fees ($500 for both of them). Let us start our introduction to utilitarianism with an example that shows how utilitarians answer the following question, “Can the ends justify the means?” Imagine that Peter is an unemployed poor man in New York.
0 kommentar(er)
