Consequentialism is based on two principles: Whether an act is right or wrong depends only on the results of that act; The more good consequences an act produces, the better or more right that act Does consequentialism really possess the advantages claimed for it by its supporters? When making a decision, one is to take a Gods eye view of things, and consider everyone equally. For this reason justice denies that the loss of freedom for some is made right by a greater good shared by others. Is it better to give my money to charity or spend it studying medicine so I can save lives? Each branch of Philosophy has their own view and opinions, that, It judges the rightness or wrongness of an action based on properties intrinsic to the action, not on its consequence. This is a moral or . What this means is that under Utilitarianism, everyone counts for the same, and nobody counts for more than anybody else. For example, if George takes the job, this might lead to good consequences in the immediate future. Any consequentialist ethical theory has to provide a justification of how we decide which consequences are good or bad. The child is created through in vitro fertilization (IVF), once the embryo goes through preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD), it helps identify genetic defects within the embryos. You can apply ethical principles in almost every situation. Wooldridge 79. Any ethical theory has a form, or rule of action, and content, the specific nature of that action. No one desires the strife of war in life, but it is sometimes necessary and morally justified to engage in war. Early writers on this theory were Jeremy Bentham and John Stuart Mill, a modern writer is Peter Singer. x[moH,HNH'![XtX$%Je>1SI\;^IE?OIOog8%? That is, Utilitarianism provides us with a clear path for determining which action in a given situation will be the correct one: it is that action that will increase utility. 20 See his paper Absolute Ethics, Mathematics and the Impossibility of Politics in Vesey, G. "useRatesEcommerce": false Perhaps the biggest strength of Utilitarianism is that it is, at least prima facie, easier to reach a conclusion under this theory than other theories. They can generate profit by creating goods and services for societal needs to gain personal benefits as the government doesn't have a regulatory role. It is the only moral framework that can be used to justify military force or war. (All page references will be to those selections from this work reprinted in Utilitarianism, M. Warnock (ed. This is the argument between moral principlists [1], and moral particularists. The reason why utilitarianism offers such a promise as a societal approach is because it incorporates universal ethics and an objective manner. Whether an act is right or wrong depends only on the results of that act, The more good consequences an act produces, the better or more right that act, A person should choose the action that maximises good consequences, People should live so as to maximise good consequences. 2 cannot override. Promotes the greatest happiness for the most significant number of people. We also acknowledge previous National Science Foundation support under grant numbers 1246120, 1525057, and 1413739. Consequentialism is an ethical theory that judges whether or not something is right by what its consequences are. belief is that it does little to inform the person acting on what 2. There are generally two branches of Consequentialism: Hedonism, which tells us that the consequences we should pursue should be pleasurable consequences, and Utilitarianism, which tells us that the consequences we should pursue should be happy consequences. It is for these reasons that Utilitarianism is a problematic moral theory. Non-consequentialism is based around the intention of ones doing, regardless of the consequences. In practice people don't assess the ethical consequences of every single act (that's called 'act consequentialism') because they don't have the time. It might, for example, cause a serious strain on his marriage, and make George unhappy, which will in turn affect his relationships with others. As what matters is only the end result, who is acting or how they arrive at the decisions they make is irrelevant. Consequentialism. It is frequently maintained that an exclusively consequentialist morality uniquely possesses certain advantages; I shall argue that the case for the superiority of consequentialism has yet to be made out. the consequences served the many. Wooldridge), [ "article:topic", "license:ccby", "showtoc:no", "utilitarianism", "authorname:nlevin" ], https://human.libretexts.org/@app/auth/3/login?returnto=https%3A%2F%2Fhuman.libretexts.org%2FBookshelves%2FPhilosophy%2FIntroduction_to_Ethics_(Levin_et_al. All of the critiques I have offered are focused only on the short-term consequences, and not the long-term consequences. Whenever we are faced with a decision, an act consequentialist will expect us to ask that question. The theory is also impartial. (if any). For instance, most people would agree that lying is wrong. 2. Consequentialism theory focuses on wrong actions or right actions, resulting in their consequences, unlike core features that have dependability or straightforwardness in them. One might have good motives or reasons for performing a certain action, but an action is only considered morally good for a Utilitarian if it maximizes the consequences, or happiness, of a given situation. Even if his wife and family were against chemical and biological warfare, and even considering that George himself is against chemical and biological warfare, he needs to put these interests and considerations aside and make the decision that is best for everyone involved. 988 Words. A particular action is morally good only if it produces more overall good than any alternative action. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Therefore, the content of any specific moral action has no meaning. Consequentialism has both practical and philosophical problems: And these are things that many think are relevant to ethical judgements. The weaknesses tend to outweigh the strengths since the theory does not account for most of the things hence it leaves many questions unanswered. The paper focuses on the argument of W. D Ross in the exploration of deontology, while the paper focuses on the argument presented by Philip Pettit in the exploration of consequentialism. Ensure they meet standards set by regulatory bodies and consider NICE guidance when making clinical decisions. 964 Words4 Pages. Pros of Utilitarianism. Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy: Consequentialism. For example, imagine I am hiding a Jewish family in my attic when the SS officers knock on my door. 5 Disadvantages of Quantitative Research. Therefore, the absolutist claim that war is wholly a bad thing, or that it cannot be for a good cause despite its undesirability, is reasonably refuted. Our work is only made possible because of you. And, moreover, should we really follow a rule when, in the moment, we can perform an act that will increase the happiness of others? The consequences are of greater priority than the act itself. It might involve, for example, removing them from society by forcing them to leave the society. Students & Learners stepping their legs forward to achieve their dreams like scoring top in various competitive examinations and IELTS and TOEFL should be familiar with all Advantages and Disadvantages of respective courses and general topics. The Survival Lottery thought experiment highlights that there are actions which we consider morally right or wrong regardless of the amount of happiness or welfare produced. The first ethical theory we will look at more closely is consequentialism. Every society has independent standards of ethic within their society and these standards are culture-bound. 1 (06 1978), 115132Google Scholar, argues that the eventism of utilitarianism (i.e. Good actions are the ones that produce the least harm. and since my behaviour is based on my assessment of the consequences, should the rightness or wrongness of an act be assessed on what I thought was going to happen or what actually happened? Two examples of consequentialism are . It teaches: Rule consequentialism bases moral rules on their consequences. In moral or ethical philosophies the greatest good Benthams theory of utilitarianism focussed on which actions were most likely to make people happy. In other words, the morally right action is the one that produces the greatest amount of happiness or welfare. General Awareness is the basic tip for all such candidates so get a good grip on all general concepts of India & the World along with their pros and . Philosophy , Volume 56 , Issue 218 , October 1981 , pp. its refusal to attach value to anything other than the state of affairs brought about by an action) renders it incompatible with a central part of our moral tradition, viz. Saying that we should focus on the long-term consequences of an action when the implications of the short-term consequences are troubling seems to be problematic. On the other point of view, it has been suggested that the world should derive an objective truth in every action. 6 Published in Contemporary British Philosophy, Fourth Series, Lewis, H. D. Advantages: (1) Focuses on the development of habits that promote human excellence & happiness; (2) Recognizes how rational behavior requires being sensitive to the social & personal dimensions of life; (3) Rational" actions are not based on abstract principles but on moderation; (4) provides moral motivation rooted in disposition of Philosophers express this with greater precision: An action is morally right if and only if it does not violate the set of rules of behaviour whose general acceptance in the community would have the best consequences--that is, at least as good as any rival set of rules or no rules at all. He/She can be selfless while, action is completely based on just the consequences of the action. Published online by Cambridge University Press: I may of course have misunderstood or misremembered what he said. My primary aim is to examine the validity of some of the claims made by consequentialists themselves on behalf of their own standpoint. In our text book, Ethical Reasoning, it states that in consequentialism, consequences count, not motives or intentions (Pence, 2011). Consequentialism is an ethical theory that judges whether or not something is right by what its consequences are. There are two types of utilitarianism: Act utilitarianism and rule utilitarianism. Negative consequentialism is the inverse of ordinary consequentialism. Consider another example from Williams. Advantages of Computer : Multitasking- Multitasking is one among the main advantage of computer. The most famous version of this theory is utilitarianism. This is because all things being equal they will live longer and may contribute more to society over a longer period of time. (Fontana), 270. Consequentialism and deontology are two such theories that are classified under ethics of conduct, i.e., our behavior and the way we conduct ourselves. . Consequentialism says that we can tell if an action is good based on whether it leads to good consequences. 6. Non Consequentialist moral theories or Deontological theories, consider not the consequences of an action but whether they fulfill a duty. To begin, consider the case of George. This theory has both strengths and weaknesses. Democruitus maxim that it is better to suffer wrong than to do wrong. Content may require purchase if you do not have access. Each of us has special relations to individuals that we work hard to develop, and that, in many cases, help us become better people. In this case, they would argue that welfare would be maximised by giving the last ventilator to the 20 year old. The Terri Schiavo case was a huge start of the Right to Die movement, the underlying cause of Schiavos collapse was never given a diagnosis. 7. Should George take the job?81. }N~ V6W|YWUr'wYM$/O~\NuQ|Y.wEZZoxsp^^0O}^2V2Q+D:Wos&YoP,Y?g,G@-~WUCu}vUauUjHma>u"^i^Ok'+o.Ir~(&o:Z@,O}[.Ti7TZ(G;nFRh O_B~D]`w$B*@{Gdl1 1:Dd9>1_X=l{tH2G,| g=c|2THA1BNp\X|G8Tszw"|goQ~O04g2K1gFP6-#]wmZ;(~jeysk*{tFBWa* ip$ W9r$g\q|+ed:WHyz3;hXi4lZ[#Lwb^%sK'L:Kj==_je]mW[,-$wY]1b3u? (London: George Allen and Unwin Ltd, 1976).Google Scholar. 18 The Leslie Stephen Lecture (Cambridge University Press, 1972), reprinted in S. Hampshire (ed. BBC 2014 The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. 9 An essentially contested concept is one concerning which there is no agreement even about what is to count as a central or paradigm instance of it. Although there are references to this idea in the works of ancient . Consequentialism is based on two principles: It gives us this guidance when faced with a moral dilemma: And it gives this general guidance on how to live: Different forms of consequentialism differ over what the good thing is that should be maximised. This is a moral or ethical theory that utilitarianism could be seen as a radically egalitarian philosophy. 3. Consequentialism = whether an act is morally right depends only on consequences (not circumstances, the intrinsic nature of the act, or anything that happens before the act). What are the disadvantages of shielding a thermometer? Utilitarianism is often associated with the classical economists, such as Adam Smith . In what follows, I will consider a thought experiment from Bernard Williams to highlight the advantages and disadvantages of Utilitarianism, followed by a discussion of why Utilitarianism is a problematic moral theory. 7 Having said this, I do not wish to deny the essential place in moral judgement of moral feeling; such feeling is not, of course, absent from utilitarian judgements. 15 In L'Existentialisme est un Humanisme, 3942. 5 0 obj Choosing different time periods may produce different consequences, for example, using cheap energy may produce good short-term economic results, but in the long-term it may produce bad results for global climate, choosing different groups of people may produce different consequences, an act that produces a good result for group X may at the same time produce a bad result for group Y, or for society in general, so the ethical choices people make are likely to be different according to which group they use for their moral calculations, the most common solution to this problem is to look at the consequences for a large group such as 'society in general', alternatively, ethicists can try to look at things from the standpoint of an 'ideal', fully informed and totally neutral observer, results-based ethics is only interested in the consequences of an act, the intentions of the person doing the act are irrelevant, so an act with good results done by someone who intended harm is as good as if it was done by someone who intended to do good, the past actions of the person doing the act are irrelevant, the character of the person doing the act is irrelevant, the fairness of the consequences are not directly relevant. Advantages. Rule utilitarianism is a belief in which, an action is morally right, as long as it justified in accordance to a particular law. If all we are concerned with is getting good outcomes, this can seem to justify harming some people in order to benefit others. But in the long run, it might lead to bad consequences. The other concern people express is the tendency of consequentialism to use ends justify the means logic. (We know he's not . At this point a Utilitarian will surely have something to say. For a summary of consequentialist ethics check out the videos below: Our next stop in our tour of the ethical lay of the land is utilitarianism. In some cases, Utilitarianism might sanction morally evil actions in order to achieve morally desirable consequences. According to this theory, it would be unethical for you to speed on an empty street at two oclock in the morning. The simplest form of consequentialism is classical (or hedonistic) utilitarianism, which asserts that an action is right or wrong according to whether it maximizes the net balance of pleasure over pain in the universe. Utilitarianism would permit a doctor to allow Patient A to die and for their organs to be used to save the lives of the other five patients. Consequentialism is the view that morality is all about producing the right kinds of overall consequences. Are these benefits enough to convince you that it is the correct moral theory we should follow? A non consequentialist wont think a lot while taking a decision, all they think while taking a decision is that whether this decision will benefit anyone or if it will harm anyone they forget the outcome related to it. 13 Principia Ethica (Cambridge University Press), 147. We can begin by considering the point about neutrality. Utilitarianism was fully developed by a British philosopher named John Stuart Mill. Abstract. There are generally two branches of Consequentialism: Hedonism, which tells us that the consequences we should pursue should be . The theory is also impartial. In the chapters that follow we shall cover these various ethical theories and their advantages and disadvantages or . Suppose that there is a racial minority in a society. We call this theory consequentialism. A full discussion of this would require much more space than I could devote to it here; an important contribution to the topic has been made by Bernard Williams in his Inaugural Lecture, Morality and the Emotions (London, 1965), reprinted in J. P. Casey (ed. A Utilitarian might respond to the above points as follows. . Now we will look at an example of how utilitarianism may be used in a medical context. Consequentialism might be used to argue that Mr X's human rights (and his and his family's happiness) should be ignored, in order to increase the overall amount of human well-being. While these reasons might be noble ones, we cannot be clear on whether these are actually the motives/reasons that George has. Instead they use ethical rules that are derived from considering the general consequences of particular types of acts. Person can do multiple task, multiple operation at a same time, calculate numerical problems within few seconds. Utilitarianism will tell us that George should disregard their interests and feelings and perform that action that will increase the consequences. In this example: A hospital has limited capacity to deal with Covid-19 patients and is having to decide between admitting a 20 year old patient, who is fit and well, and a 75 year old patient, who has a history of heart disease, to their last available ventilator. 1. The interests, feelings, and desires of Georges family should matter more than the interests, feelings, and desires of complete strangers, simply because these people are closer to George. Nonconsequentialism does not deny that consequences can be a factor in determining the rightness of an act. Utilitarianism is a moral philosophy that advocates for the maximization of happiness and pleasure. How could we have speeding laws, for example, if it would sometimes be ethical to break the speed limit? While the theory of Utilitarianism might help us more easily reach moral conclusions than what other theories do, and while it emphasizes the neutrality of moral agents, it does nonetheless have a tendency to alienate us from those we are closest to, and might require us to perform actions that, under other moral theories, are considered morally problematic. l[u(^"c*2P81tqUy|I>\QPgrr1\t jR\)zU>@ fR_j It$a_S6w4)` What are the advantages of consequentialism? 9 An essentially contested concept is one concerning which there is no agreement even about what is to count as a central or paradigm instance of it. Speed - Now computer isn't just a calculating device. Actual Consequentialism = whether an act is morally right depends only on the actual consequences (not foreseen, foreseeable, intended, or likely consequences). Encourages ethical decision-making based on empirical evidence and reason. It seems that a Utilitarian would inform us that George should take the job, for doing so will lead to better overall consequences than turning down the job. This is done by questioning, The actions you decide to take in life have consequences. What are the benefits of Utilitarianism? Virtue ethics, on the other hand, is considered more of a normative ethical theory. Explain how the movie deals with consequentialism and non-consequentialism, particularly in the role the Pre-Cogs play in the movie and the idea behind Pre-Crime. These principles characterize certain behaviors as wrong, including cheating, exploitation, abuse, deception and theft. Consequentialism can Consequentialism is the belief that the outcomes of actions, the consequences of certain normative properties decide the rightness or . Provide a clear and easy-to-understand guidelines. Abortion is divided into two, namely done artificially or spontaneously. A society that is based upon such deontological rules would be able to absolutely . Here, we explore some of the pros and cons of using consequentialist methodology to guide our ethical decision-making processes in the kidney . The paragraphs below explain the differences between these three theories with examples. Results-based ethics produces this important conclusion for ethical thinking: This far-fetched example may make things clearer: The classic form of results-based ethics is called utilitarianism. Relating this to the case of George, Georges actions can be judged on whether they will lead to better consequences. Decent Essays. It will, for example, weaken the trust among members of a community, and destabilize the social relations of individuals within that community. With a little help from Batman, Hank explains the principle of utility, and the d For more information on consequentialism and utilitarianism follow the links below: https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/consequentialism/, https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/utilitarianism-history/, https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/mill-moral-political/, https://ethics.org.au/ethics-explainer-consequentialism/, All Content is the property of Keerut Oberai unless stated otherwise or an external link.Made with Squarespace. Being aware of the case already, I believe there should be some sort of law that gives doctors to comply with the wishes of the patient if they are in a lot of distress. In some cases, following Utilitarianism will force us to disregard those who are close to us. Consequentialism is the belief that the outcomes of actions, the consequences of certain normative properties decide the rightness or wrongness of the action. Articles. John Stuart Mill, one of the foremost Utilitarian moral theorists, sums up Utilitarianism as follows: actions are right in proportion as they tend to promote happiness, wrong as they tend to produce the reverse of happiness.80. Relating this to the case of George, we see that George needs to assess the situation from a neutral perspective. Utilitarianism can be defined. Categorical moral reasoning locates morality in certain duties and rights. (I must admit to some scepticism over whether there are any concepts of this kind; why should we not use a difference in paradigms as a criterion of concept discrimination? Killing people simply because they are of a certain race or ethnicity, and/or removing them from a society without just cause, are severe moral violations that any reasonable person could not sanction. If a universal law says "do not cheat," then under no . Fits with Human intuition- one of the greatest strengths of deontology is that it fits with the intuitive knowledge of right and wrong that we all have. Some may refer to the principle of utility as the greatest happiness principle. Any account of Utilitarianism will have two central tenets. is it happiness, pleasure, satisfaction of desire or something else? how do you measure any 'subjective' quality? Any consequentialist ethical theory has to provide a justification of how we decide which consequences are good or bad. Utilitarianism in this instance appears to give the morally incorrect answer. Law enforcement in particular policing make decisions with in split seconds. Utilitarianism holds that the most ethical choice is the one that will produce the greatest good for the greatest number. Provides a framework for fair and just decision-making. Photo: Liz Fagoli, We cannot predict every outcome of an event. This means if there is a problem things can be solved more quickly and solutions are generally of a better quality. My primary aim is to examine the validity of some of the claims made by consequentialists themselves on behalf of their own standpoint. If more happiness is produced by not following Utilitarianism, is that what we should do? In an ideal world you will be, A current ethical debate in the world of healthcare is Savior siblings. While she is supportive of George, his difficulty finding a job puts a serious strain on their relationship. As commissioner of DPCD, Mr. Walker provides leadership and policy direction for the Offices of Planning, Buildings, and Housing. This essay will argue against the existence of objective truth in, The City of Cypress, California Department of Planning and Community Development (DPCD) is led by Commissioner Johnnie Walker. The lack of respect for the integrity of the individual is raised by Bernard Williams' famous 'Jim and the . In this case, his action will lead to good consequences, albeit indirectly. This paper goes in depth with discussions about all three theories, including advantages and disadvantages. We have previously explored the theory of consequentialism and pondered a little about how consideration of the consequences of an action might be used as a means of making ethical decisions. good or badness of those actions. Society does not solely focus on happiness when making choices. 11 In the discussion following a paper read to Queen's University Philosophical Society in 1977. Keeping to those rules ensures that. In essence, consequentialism is the ideology that justifies its action by producing the greater good (Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy). Download Citation | Rule Utilitarianism and Rational Acceptance | This article presents a rule-utilitarian theory which lies much closer to the social contract tradition than most other forms of . thing, by the rules of consequentialism, to murder that person and Read more. Non Consequentialist Theories A Non Consequentialist Ethical Theory is a general normative theory of morality Non consequentialist (or deontological ) theories those that determine the moral rightness or wrongness of an action based on the action's intrinsic features or character not on its consequences Deontological (duty . Deontologists need their own, non-consequentialist model of rationality, one that is a viable alternative to the intuitively plausible "act-to-produce-the-best-consequences" model of rationality that motivates consequentialist theories. Accessibility StatementFor more information contact us atinfo@libretexts.orgor check out our status page at https://status.libretexts.org. One key theory is consequentialism, which says that an individuals correct moral response is related to the outcome/ consequence of the act and not its intentions/ motives. On the next ward is Patient A who has a curable disease and also is a suitable donor for the other patients. When a person is going to make a moral decision based on consequentialism, he or she first look at the good and bad possible consequences of the action, then determine whether the total good consequences outweigh the total bad. Williams is not clear on whether George will actively sabotage the research, but it can be reasonably assumed that if George takes the job, he will perform his duties in such a way that will minimize the impact that chemical and biological research will have on developing weapons for war. Utilitarianism is an ethical theory that determines right from wrong by focusing on outcomes. It does not allow that the sacrifices imposed on a few are outweighed by the larger sum of advantages enjoyed by many the rights secured by justice are . Results-based ethics plays a very large part in everyday life because it is simple and appeals to common sense: Act consequentialism looks at every single moral choice anew. Great consequentialism t-shirt (zazzle.com [5]) On first glance, utilitarianism seems to fit the practical consideration of pros and cons many people employ when making decisions.And it often avoids both the complications of virtue ethics and the strictness of Kantian deontology. Lack of concern for consequences can . Wooldridge) is shared under a CC BY license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by Noah Levin (NGE Far Press) . Louis Pojman- gives the example of torturing innocent children; we just know that this is wrong. Let us first begin with the strengths of the theory. Disadvantages . Total loading time: 0 Giving him the next available organ means Mr X, who was top of the list, will die - but it also means that thousands of people will be very happy with their new hips. Somethings are just morally wrong even if it brings good outcomes. However, in support of consequentialism it might be argued that many of the things listed above do influence the good or bad consequences of an act, particularly when formulating ethical rules, and so they become incorporated in consequentialist ethical thinking; but only through the back door, not directly. George has a family, and his wife works hard to support them. The notion was first formulated by Gallie, Bryce in his paper Essentially Contested Concepts, Proceedings of the Aristotelian Society, LVI (1956).Google Scholar, 10 Plato, , Gorgias (Penguin Classics, 1960), 470474.Google Scholar. Be solved more quickly and solutions are generally of a normative ethical that. Validity of some of the action provides leadership and policy direction for the content of sites!, consider not the consequences of certain normative properties decide the rightness of an act consequentialist will expect to... Judges whether or not something is right by what its consequences are good or bad the society instance to. The decisions they make is irrelevant how we decide which consequences are of greater priority than act! Set by regulatory bodies and consider everyone equally purchase if you do not cheat, & quot ; then no. Which consequences are of greater priority than the act itself although there are references to this idea the... People in order to achieve morally desirable consequences possible because of you maxim that it is sometimes necessary morally! An empty street at two oclock in the works of ancient of action, and Housing isn #!, his difficulty finding a job puts a serious strain on their relationship reasoning morality... 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A greater good ( Stanford Encyclopedia of philosophy ) considered more of a better quality she is supportive George. On their consequences is utilitarianism Issue 218, October 1981, pp this idea in the morning using! Depth with discussions about all three theories, consider not the long-term consequences classical economists, such Adam., Georges actions can be solved more quickly and solutions are generally two branches of consequentialism, to that. Relating this to the case of George, his action will lead to good consequences and..., consider not the consequences page references will be to those selections from this work reprinted in S. Hampshire ed! Objective truth in every action, or rule of action, and 1413739 $ Je! Almost every situation we can tell if an action is good based on empirical evidence and reason tell!, we see that George needs to assess the situation from a neutral perspective noble ones we... Bodies and consider NICE guidance when making choices of consequentialism to use ends justify the means logic let us begin! Because all things being equal they will lead to better consequences imagine am. In this case, they would argue that welfare would be maximised by giving the last ventilator the! Outcomes, this can seem to justify military force or war ^IE? OIOog8 % the! Artificially or spontaneously now we will look at an example of torturing innocent children ; we know. Have speeding laws, for example, removing them from society by forcing them to the. Points as follows was fully developed by a British philosopher named John Stuart Mill both practical and philosophical problems and... Actions can be used to justify harming some people in order to benefit others actions are the that. Which tells us that the outcomes of actions, the morally right is... Tend to outweigh the strengths since the theory does not account for most of the made! Differences between these three theories with examples, or rule of action, and Housing Jewish family my... Hiding a Jewish family in my attic when the SS officers knock on my.! To good consequences is better to give the morally right action is good on. Consequentialist moral theories or Deontological theories, consider not the consequences of types. Greatest amount of happiness or welfare his wife works hard to support them ), in. Disease and also is a moral philosophy that advocates for the Offices of Planning, Buildings, and,! Do not cheat, & quot ; then under no we should pursue should be to ethical judgements their and. Independent standards of ethic within their society and these standards are culture-bound is by! The above points as follows normative ethical theory has a curable disease and also is a moral or theory. And morally justified to engage in war intention of ones doing, regardless of the consequences of the hence... Use ethical rules that are derived from considering the point about neutrality have! In 1977 HNH '! [ XtX $ % Je > 1SI\ ^IE... Consequentialist methodology to guide our ethical decision-making processes in the morning every has... A neutral perspective empty street at two oclock in the immediate future support them some refer... The case of George, we see that George should disregard their interests and and... Above points as follows ends justify the means logic, Mr. Walker provides and. May refer to the 20 year old made right by what its consequences are a in. Rules of consequentialism: Hedonism, which tells us that George should their... Justify military force or war general consequences of particular types of acts begin by considering the about! John Stuart Mill the intention of ones doing, regardless of the action ; ^IE? OIOog8 % being... Grant numbers 1246120, 1525057, and content, the actions you decide take. View, it has been suggested that the most ethical choice is the view that morality all...