Posted: September 6th, 2023

Utilitarian/deontological argument

Utilitarian/deontological argument
Utilitarianism and deontology are two of the most influential ethical theories in the world. Utilitarianism is a consequentialist theory, which means that it judges the morality of an action based on its consequences. Deontology, on the other hand, is a non-consequentialist theory, which means that it judges the morality of an action based on its inherent rightness or wrongness.

Utilitarianism

The utilitarian theory was first developed by Jeremy Bentham in the 18th century. Bentham argued that the right action is the one that produces the greatest happiness for the greatest number of people. He defined happiness as “the absence of pain and the presence of pleasure.”

Bentham’s utilitarianism has been criticized for being too simplistic. Some critics argue that it is impossible to accurately predict the consequences of an action, and that even if we could, we would not always be able to agree on what constitutes happiness.

Despite these criticisms, utilitarianism remains a popular ethical theory. It is often used to justify policies that aim to maximize social welfare, such as welfare programs and environmental regulations.

Deontology

The deontological theory was first developed by Immanuel Kant in the 18th century. Kant argued that the right action is the one that is done out of duty, regardless of its consequences. He believed that there are certain moral duties that are binding on all rational beings, such as the duty to tell the truth and the duty to keep promises.

Kant’s deontology has been criticized for being too rigid. Some critics argue that it does not take into account the complexities of real-world situations.

Despite these criticisms, deontology remains a popular ethical theory. It is often used to justify policies that protect individual rights, such as freedom of speech and freedom of religion.

Utilitarianism vs. Deontology

Utilitarianism and deontology are two very different ethical theories. Utilitarianism judges the morality of an action based on its consequences, while deontology judges the morality of an action based on its inherent rightness or wrongness.

Which theory is better? There is no easy answer. Both theories have strengths and weaknesses. Ultimately, the best theory for you will depend on your own personal values and beliefs.

Conclusion

Utilitarianism and deontology are two of the most important ethical theories in the world. They have been used to justify a wide range of policies and actions, from welfare programs to environmental regulations.

Both theories have strengths and weaknesses. Utilitarianism is simple and easy to understand, but it can be difficult to predict the consequences of an action. Deontology is more complex, but it can be more flexible in dealing with the complexities of real-world situations.

Ultimately, the best theory for you will depend on your own personal values and beliefs.

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Example Assignment
Utilitarian/deontological argument

Bentham (Paragraphs I-X, Chapter 1)
https://historyofeconomicthought.mcmaster.ca/bentham/morals.pdf
Mill ( Chapter II, p.10- p.15 “the creed” being paragraph 1, “According to the Greatest Happiness Principle” being paragraph 11)

https://socialsciences.mcmaster.ca/econ/ugcm/3ll3/mill/utilitarianism.pdf
General Guidelines
1) Analyze the dilemma.
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Chris found a wallet on the street with a thousand dollars cash in it. His first thought was to return the wallet to its owner. And, in order to do so, he searched the owner’s name up on the internet. As he realized the wallet belonged to a rich man, instead of returning it, he decided to donate the money to the cancer hospital.
2) Answer to the question: Did Chris do the right thing?
3) Provide either Utilitarian or Deontological arguments for your opinion.
5) Select quotations from weeks 4 (Utilitarianism) and/or 5 (Deontology) to support your arguments.
Rubric:
Your essay will receive these marks if the guidelines are strictly followed.
he amount of marks assigned for each item shown on the side. The total of marks you can receive is 100.
Pay attention and good luck!

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1
Chris found a wallet on the street with a thousand dollars cash in it. His first thought was to return the wallet to its owner. And, in order to do so, he searched the owner’s name up on the internet. As he realized the wallet belonged to a rich man, instead of returning it, he decided to donate the money to the cancer hospital.

Did Chris do the right thing?

There are two main ethical theories that can be used to answer this question: utilitarianism and deontology.

Utilitarianism is a moral theory that judges the rightness or wrongness of an action based on its consequences. According to utilitarianism, the right action is the one that produces the greatest good for the greatest number of people. In this case, Chris’s action of donating the money to the cancer hospital would likely produce more good than his action of returning the money to the rich man. This is because the money would help to save lives and improve the quality of life for many people.

Deontology is a moral theory that judges the rightness or wrongness of an action based on whether or not it follows a set of moral rules. According to deontology, there are certain actions that are right or wrong in themselves, regardless of their consequences. In this case, some people might argue that Chris had a moral obligation to return the money to its owner, regardless of whether or not the owner was rich. This is because returning the money would be the right thing to do, even if it did not produce the greatest good for the greatest number of people.

Ultimately, whether or not Chris did the right thing is a matter of opinion. There are strong arguments to be made on both sides of the issue. However, from a utilitarian perspective, it seems clear that Chris’s action of donating the money to the cancer hospital was the right thing to do.

Here are some quotations from weeks 4 and 5 that support the utilitarian argument:

“The greatest happiness of the greatest number is the foundation of morals and legislation.” – Jeremy Bentham
“Actions are right in proportion as they tend to promote happiness, wrong as they tend to produce the reverse of happiness.” – John Stuart Mill
In addition to these quotations, there is also a great deal of empirical evidence that supports the utilitarian argument. For example, studies have shown that people who donate to charity are happier than those who do not. This suggests that donating to charity can actually increase the overall happiness of society.

Of course, there are also some potential drawbacks to the utilitarian argument. For example, it could be argued that utilitarianism could lead to people making decisions that are not in their own best interests. For example, a utilitarian might argue that a person should donate all of their money to charity, even if it means that they will not be able to afford to live comfortably. However, most utilitarians would argue that this is not the case. They would argue that people should still make decisions that are in their own best interests, as long as those decisions do not harm others.

Overall, the utilitarian argument is a strong argument in favor of Chris’s decision to donate the money to the cancer hospital. While there are some potential drawbacks to the utilitarian argument, these drawbacks can be mitigated by taking into account the individual’s own interests.

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