Consequentialism And Its Effects On The Greatest Happiness...

Consequentialism is a belief that was formed in an attempt to determine what actions are right or wrong. It is the view that an action is considered to be morally right if it produces better consequences than any other available action would have produced. For example, take into consideration someone debating the morally right action when confronted with the decision of whether to study for a test or whether to go to a movie. According to Consequentialism, studying for a test would be the morally right action. This is because the consequences of the action of studying: getting a good grade on a test, are better than the consequences of the action of going to a movie: enjoying the movie. Utilitarianism is a form of Consequentialism based on the Greatest Happiness Principle. This principle states that actions are right in proportion as they promote happiness and wrong in proportion as they tend to produce the reverse of happiness. Utilitarians apply this principle in their belief that one should consider every possible action they may take and choose the one that produces the greatest overall happiness in the world. Utilitarianism is different than Consequentialism because it focuses on human happiness as the consequence of actions. Consequentialism is broader and only takes into consideration better consequences, not what specifically makes one consequence better than another. To help understand a Utilitarian view, it is useful to differentiate between intrinsically andShow MoreRelatedDoctors Involved In Potential Torture600 Words   |  3 Pagesgive the side effects of certain medication and build a strong relationship with the community. The importance of becoming a pharmacist is to help patients maintain a healthy life not interrogating the patients. This is the same for all the health care fields; the main theme is to help the patients and view perspectives of the patients, and not to harm them. The purpose of the â€Å"to do no harm† is to stand up and immediately speak up if something wrong is happening. Consequentialism is a theory thatRead MoreAn Act Of Law Is Just Or Unjust1312 Words   |  6 Pagesjudgment of the â€Å"morality of choices by criteria different from the states of affairs those choices bring about.† (Alexander 2007) Larry Alexander writes in Deontological Ethics that deontologists support that â€Å"some choices cannot be justified by their effects, that no matter how morally good their consequences, some choices are morally forbidden.† This shows that deontology would be the measurement of morals in decisions. The morals would be important because it would be a person’s beliefs of what is goodRead MoreBroad-Based Blac Economic Empowerment996 Words   |  4 PagesUtilitarianism Utilitarianism states that right actions are those that maximise overall happiness/utility (Bentham 1781). 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Utilitarianism is also a form of consequentialism this is because utilitarianismRead MoreThe Doctrine Of Utilitarianism Essays883 Words   |  4 Pagesconcepts: happiness and consequentialism. It follows the â€Å"Greatest Happiness Principle† which is, â€Å"The creed which accepts as the foundation of morals, Utility, or the Greatest Happiness Principle, holds that actions are right in proportion as they tend to promote happiness, wrong as they tend to produce the reverse of happiness† (Mill 239). Utilitarianists’ most vast idea is creating the greatest happiness for the greatest number of people and to end pain and suffering with this principle by usingRead MoreJohn Stuart Mill Is Considered One Of The Most Influential1099 Words   |  5 Pagesinterpretation of utilitarianism is that everything that is desirable is desired because of the pleasure they provide or because they help reduce pain. This interpretation would be later referred as the â€Å"Greatest Happiness Principle†. Today, there is much debate whether the â€Å"Greatest Happiness Principle† should be the foundation of a societies morality when people are faced with ethical dilemmas. Although in some cases this would be a considerable choice, I still think in my opinion it would just beRead MoreEssay on Bernard Williams and Utilitarianism690 Words   |  3 Pagesgoodness in society. The utilitarian reaches for the greatest good for the greatest number of people. Two main aspects dominate the light of utilitarian beliefs. The consequentialist principle explains that in determining the rightness or wro ngness of an act one must examine the results that will follow. The utility principle is that you can only deem something to be good if it in itself will bring upon a specific desired state, such as happiness or fulfillment. 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Shaw in â€Å"Consequentialism†, â€Å"...when it comes to rightness or wrongness, nothing matters but the results of our action s† (Shaw 28). Then the question is, what exactly does it mean for a consequenceRead MoreIs rule-utilitarianism preferable to act-utilitarianism Essay1772 Words   |  8 PagesIs rule-utilitarianism preferable to act-utilitarianism? Classical utilitarianism is a normative ethical theory which holds that an action can only be considered as morally right where its consequences bring about the greatest amount of good to the greatest number (where good is equal to pleasure minus pain). Likewise, an action is morally wrong where it fails to maximise good. Since it was first articulated in the late 19th Century by the likes of Jeremy Bentham and later John Stewart Mill,