conundrums, one can not forget that validity is shared among theories. Holes may seem larger in certain standards and ideals, but these holes are never refutable and should be used to create a larger discourse between philosophical theories. Consequentialism and all it’s sub-groups (direct, universal, hedonism, aggregative, evaluative, maximizing, etc.) are based around two dominant principles: For an act to be in the right or wrong one must look solely to the results of the act, and subsequently
Consequentialism and non-consequentialism are both action based ethical frameworks that people can use to make ethical judgments. Consequentialism is based on examining the consequences of one’s actions as opposed to non-consequentialism which is focused on whether the act is right or wrong regardless of the outcome (Burgh, Field & Freakley, 2006). The three sub-categories of consequentialism are altruism, utilitarianism and egoism. Altruism is when the actions of a person promote the best consequences
In “Consequentialism and Integrity,” Bernard Williams criticizes consequentialism on the ground that it is inherently unreasonable due to its insistence on negative responsibility, and as a result, denies the agent integrity. Peter Railton’s “Alienation, Consequentialism, and the Demands of Morality” is a response to Williams and a defense of consequentialism. In the following essay, I will explain Williams’s attack on consequentialism, and Railton’s argument that consequentialism need not deny
Define consequentialism, and explain why act utilitarianism is a form of consequentialism. How does consequentialism differ from rival approaches to ethics? Do you find consequentialism to be a plausible way of thinking about right and wrong? Explain your answer. Consequentialism is the view that, according to FoE, the morality of actions, policies, motives, or rules depends on their producing the best actual or expected results. In other words, do as much good as you can. Act utilitarianism
Consequentialism is an ethical theory that evaluates the consequences of a person’s action to determine if their actions are right or wrong (Slote 34). According to the theory, a morally right act is one that has more good outcomes than bad ones. In this ethical theory, the end justifies the means; hence, it argues that people should first determine the good and bad consequences of actions before they do them. After determining the total outcomes, it is important to investigate whether the total
the guard killed. In this situation, the actions based on Utilitarianism should be performed to ensure the greatest good for the maximum amount of people. Consequentialism has moral theories that target a goal or state that aids in evaluating moral actions and the progression of that aimed state. The most popular rendition of consequentialisms is Utilitarianism. Utilitarianism characterizes morals by the maximized results for all participants distressed by actions or
Introduction This essay will provide a theoretical understanding of the four ethical frameworks: Consequentialism, Non- Consequentialism, Virtue Ethics and Care Ethics. When applied to a situation these frameworks help teachers to resolve and justify their decision making. The objective is to apply the four frameworks to the scenario Helping Molly, to establish the most ethical course of action. Finally, a recommended course of action will be justification. The overarching ethical issue present
we do about it?” and “should we even do something about it?”. In this essay, I will be arguing the moral implications of consequentialism and why Onora O’Neill’s non-consequential view on the subject is more plausible than Peter Singer’s consequential view. I will explain what differentiates Singer and O’Neill’s views and where both their views come together. Consequentialism refers to the idea that what is morally good or bad is all based on the consequences of one’s actions. It is derived from
lives. The two theories I will be using in my argument are Consequentialism and Utilitarianism, as both of these support the theory that morals affect our decision making. To begin with consequentialism is the theory that there is a rightness and wrongness of actions which is determined by a moral code, for example it is a set of rules which would have the best outcome for the one making the decision. There are two theories of consequentialism
an event or activity (Kaurt, “Aristotle on Pleasure”). By Mill changing Bentham’s definition of utilitarianism he allowed the measurement of what is considered to be a good decision to have a more personal affect. Utilitarianism is a form of consequentialism. It is a moral theory that allows a person to look at all of the possible outcomes and choose the outcome that they believe will bring about the most happiness to the most amount of people. This means that the moral theory is not black and white