The Penn State child abuse scandal in 2011 was a major moral decision case that involved the opinions of many. This case raises a number of questions as to why it occurred and the general idea that people allowed it to occur.
In this paper, I will be examining the decisions behind this case as to why it was kept a secret from so many. I will also be introducing and analyzing the view of utilitarianism in relation to the situation and choices involved. Later I will present, and then defend, my argument to ultimately reach the conclusion that a utilitarian's view of the Penn State child abuse scandal should be rejected. .
My paper will contain the following: first, I will provide a description of what utilitarianism is and the view behind it. I will then give an overview of the Penn state child abuse scandal as well as the people involved and decisions made. Next I will provide my argument on the case and utilitarianism as well as defend the premises of the argument. Finally, I will conclude with the point that a utilitarian's view of the case and moral decisions made must be rejected. .
The complete view of utilitarianism was invented by Jeremy Bentham in the late 18th century continuing into the early 19th century. Utilitarianism states that the right thing in any given situation is the thing that, on balance, maximizes total happiness for everyone involved and minimizes unhappiness. The various components of happiness and unhappiness should be comparable in order to be able to measure the two against one another. Another way of looking at utilitarianism is in the saying, "The ends justify the means." Utilitarianism is a "consequentialist" moral theory meaning that only consequences matter, not the intrinsic character of acts. Utilitarianism does not take into consideration any other factors than the ones mentioned and therefore can sometimes be unreasonable.