Understanding Utilitarianism: Ethics in Practice

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In general, the term utilitarianism can be defined as the ethical or right action is the one that results in the greatest good for the greatest number. Therefore, some people suggest that rightness or wrongness is determine by numbers that are total the positives and the negatives outcome of an action or the one that produces the highest score of positives or negatives that is the most ethical, or right, thing to do (Neher, W. W. Sandin, P.J., 2007, p. 61). In general, most people practice utilitarian ethics and hold themselves accountable for doing the right thing as well as does corporations, businesses, medical facilities, and Public Health service. Therefore, these companies put in writing their company ethics policies and …show more content…

Therefore, this unethical action by the Public Health Service led to African American not trusting the healthcare system and their implication for their wrong when an apology from President Clinton on May 16th 1977 to the survivors, to the wives and family members, the children and the grandchildren (CDC, n.d. para 4). For the most part, the Public Health Service made an unethical decision to test 600 African American men without their knowledge in which cause them to make a bad choice in Utilitarian ethics which is defined as that it seems to be the most applicable in matters in public communication, in which there are likely the results will have an impact on the community (Neher, W. W. Sandin, P.J., 2007, p. …show more content…

The African American males was informed by researchers that they were being treated for "bad blood," a local term used to describe several ailments, including syphilis, anemia, and fatigue (Center for Disease Control and Prevention, n.d., para 1). However, the black men did not receive the proper treatment needed to cure their illness, they were betrayed because they felt they had found hope when they were offered free medical care by the United States Public Health Service (CDC, n.d. para. 5). In short, they believe their research were more important and hope that one day that their research would later be viewed utilitarianism because they made the right action in which their study is for the greater number people who will be later will be cured for the sacrifice of the few (Neher, W. W. Sandin, P.J., 2007, p.

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