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Utilitarianism and morality

So utilitarianism suggests that it is "morally right" to create as much happiness for the greatest number of people while it is "morally wrong" to create unhappiness within society. .
             Jeremy Bentham believed that we should calculate the amount of happiness that would be created from an action before carrying it out and weigh up how much happiness it would create. If it would cause a great deal of unhappiness, it should not be carried out. Bentham believed that we should think in this way every time we are going to make a decision which could effect other people's happiness. John Stuart Mill took it one step further and suggested that it wasn't only the quantity of the happiness and pleasure that mattered but also the quality. For example eating is seen as a lower form of pleasure than something intellectual and rational such as reading or a hobby you enjoy. This happiness would be seen as more valuable. .
             For Utilitarians the morally right thing to do is increase the amount of happiness in the world in any way possible. The morally wrong thing to do is to create unhappiness within the world. For Utilitarians this was not only an idea or merely just a theory, Mill and Bentham wanted this idea to be put into practice and believed that this moral code would change society for the better. While this may seem like a rather straightforward and simple way of looking at life, utilitarianism is largely criticised and the theory has flaws and gaps. Difficulties did arise from the utilitarian definition of what is morally right and what is morally wrong. The utilitarian argument is simple; we should judge actions right or wrong depending on whether they cause happiness or unhappiness. But is it as simple when it comes to putting the utilitarian approach into action?.
             One difficulty that does arise from the Utilitarian definition of morality is that we can never know for certain all the consequences of the things we do.


Essays Related to Utilitarianism and morality

1. Utilitarianism

Mill believes that the proper moral ethics is Utilitarianism. ... Mill's pleasure principle was also disputed by theologians because of its apparent lack of association to a code of morality. To this, Mill contended that there couldn't be a singular list of morality standards which are in place at all times. ... For example, conventional Judeo-Christian morality teaches that it is wrong to lie. ... I believe that in theory Utilitarianism is a good idea. ...

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2. Utilitarianism: Principle Based and Virtue Ethics

Although pleasure seeking and acting in the interests of others is a nice concept, utilitarianism has many downfalls. ... According to Immanuel Kant, father of the morality of practical reason, a good will is good in itself. Differing from utilitarianism, Kant insists that morality has nothing to do with satisfaction or pleasure but is concerned rather with the idea of doing our duty. ... His morality of practical reason insists that morality can only be found through an examination of reason. ... This concept of morality is hard for most people to accept and is just one of many objections to ...

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3. Utilitarianism

Mill was best renowned for his idea of "Utilitarianism."" ... To what doctrine allows a morality action based on the pain of one or few to provide the greater part happy? ... Mill describes two major elements in utilitarianism. ... The story is a very extreme case of utilitarianism. ... Keep in thought that utilitarianism is an ethical concept that teaches morality so if one is faced with two choices, one should consider the consequences and choose the one that would be morally right, even if it's not the choice Mill would choose. ...

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4. Utilitarianism

In his book "Utilitarianism", John Stuart Mill supports and explains his reasoning . ... He defines utilitarianism as the quest for happiness. ... This paper will examine Mill's utilitarianism, and the reasoning behind it. ... Ewing argues that Mill`s utilitarian principle is stricter than comman sense morality, he says that somethings we things are right are really wrong. ... Therefore intentions should be very important when it concerns morality. ...

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5. The Philosophy of Utilitarianism

Utilitarianism is ultimately the child of egoism and Kantian Duty. ... It is then broken down into two units, act utilitarianism and rule utilitarianism. ... So on, rule utilitarianism is determining the morality of an action based on the value of its consequence if the rule was to be followed. ... Contrariwise, he gives a resilient argument against act utilitarianism when discussing promises. ... Overall, I personally believe that rule utilitarianism is a more morally correct theory. ...

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6. Utilitarianism - Questions Regarding Human Nature

It only means that good and evil are not the foundation, nor the fundamental principles for morality. ... Utility denies the idea of customary morality which means that there are actions and ideas that we learn are naturally bad. ... Utilitarianism says that we do not need to be martyrs or heroes. ... Since this has nothing to do with any innate feelings related to morality, these sacrifices are not made out of altruism or compassion. ... Utilitarianism leaves a lot of questions to be answered. ...

  • Word Count: 1091
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7. John Stuart Mills and Utilitarianism

He states in his essay written in 1861, Utilitarianism, "actions are right in proportion as they tend to promote happiness; wrong as they tend to produce the reverse of happiness. ... There is no rational connection between happiness and morality. ... When a person takes his own interpretation of utilitarianism to increase the happiness of the greatest number of people and justifies an action that they make based on Mill's argument, is troublesome. ... Do you believe that utilitarianism? ... Do you believe that utilitarianism is a way of the present that disregards the outcome in the...

  • Word Count: 500
  • Approx Pages: 2
  • Grade Level: High School

8. The Morality In Juvenile Justice

Utilitarianism is a moral theory that was developed by British philosophers Jeremy Bentham and John Stuart Mill. ... In other words, utilitarianism supports the action that does the greatest good for the greatest number of people. ... Rather then the consequences of our actions, which is the focus of Utilitarianism, Kant felt that the rationale behind the action should be considered the important part of the equation when evaluating the morality of an issue. ... Utilitarianism posits that moral action is what produces the most helpful benefits for the most people. ... Kantian morality is pr...

  • Word Count: 1484
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