The Utilitarianism, Philosophy Essay Example

Every person must have values systems and this correct value system is utilitarianism. It can be defined as the value system that maximizes every individual's happiness. In the history of philosophy, Utilitarianism is termed as one of the most persuasive and powerful approaches to normative ethics. It is held generally to morally right action and is regarded as an action that produces good. On the utilitarian perception, a person should achieve overall maximum good. The core idea of utilitarianism study is to determine which actions are morally wrong or right? Utilitarianism believes that morality purpose is to better lives. One of the most significant classical utilitarians is John Stuart and Jeremy Bentham who are social reformers. Their theories and philosophical work had a major impact on political, economic and social policy. Although this theory had a lot of critics there are a lot of thinkers that support it. However, it is very hard to determine whether this utilitarianism theory is morally correct because it is very complicated and there are supporters of this theory who disagrees with the correct version.

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Does the pleasure of Moral Goodness causes harm to others or is the harm perceived to be good by decision makers? There is no survey of ethics that would be complete without examining utilitarianism. The theories have contributed to the study of the importance of international law, the obligation of countries to assist people, rule of war, national sovereignty, justification of people's concern. The case study provided illuminates on moral issues of an act and goodness or harm it causes, Susset Kelo's property which was taken over by new London city in order to clear land for new development.However, the new city would attract new development and increase in tax revenue. The other case is the Navy movement of undersea warfare centers from New London that took 1400 jobs.However, the government has proceeded to build hotels, new homes, office building. Resident have a negative perception and do not support the demolition of their property and movement of Navy. Jeremy Bentham was the first person to explore and formulate utilitarianism and its consequence. His argument states that the greatest number of happiness is the legislation and moral foundation. He understands happiness as a condition where the individual enjoys more pleasure than he or she is enjoying pain. He offered new hedonist theory approach.Where he believed that it would make people use utilitarianism approaches when they are making an ethical decision.In order to elevate the issue of decision making and whether it harms others or not, John Stuart introduced a distinction between a rule and act utilitarianism.He came up with the lower and higher pleasure concept where literature and opera were associated with higher pleasure and the lower pleasure led to activities such as sex and overeating. He argued the need for a rule that will enable individuals to make decisions that conclude to pleasurable ends. He used altruism which helped him believed that in order to create happiness for others there must be true oneself happiness.

Ideas of Mill and Bentham of Utilitarianism have interesting concepts. Mill bases his concepts on quality and degree of pleasure that can be experienced. Both concepts rely on consequences that help in a moral decision. Mills's concept can be said to be sophisticated than that of Betham and however, they are based on Bentham's principles.

In my conclusion, utilitarianism does provide an basis for moral decisions. It's Cconsidered morally right to promote happiness for a large number of people. However, there is difficulty in trying to compare alternative acts.When one act is considered good than the other. This problem is common to almost all theories of normative ethics because most of them recognize consequences. This argument could be interpreted in an indirect act or rule utilitarian. In the utilitarian rule, an individual can be overwhelmed by calculating tasks of any consequences. There is therefore, the need for rules that act as touchstone which points out the action that will promote general happiness.