Preview

What Is Classical Utilitarianism

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
819 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
What Is Classical Utilitarianism
Utilitarianism is a theory in normative ethics, holding that the moral action is that it maximizes utility. Utility is defined in various ways, including as a pleasure, economic well-being and lack of suffering. Utilitarianism is a form of consequentialism, which implies that the “end justifies the means." This view may be contrasted or combined with seeing intentions, virtues or the fulfillment of rules as ethically important. Classical utilitarianism the two most influential contributors are Jeremy Bentham and John Stuart Mill. , who receive happiness as the measure for utility, says, “Is the greatest happiness of the greatest number that is the measure of good and evil” John Stuart Mill defines happiness as pleasure and absence of pain. …show more content…
Therefore, if the society was to embrace utilitarianism as ethics, human beings naturally instill those standards as morally obligatory. Mill argues that happiness is the only basis of morality, and that people will never want anything but happiness. He supports this assertion by showing that all other objects of people's desire is either means happiness, or included in the definition of happiness Mill explained in detail that the sentiment of justice is actually based on utility , and that rights exist only because they are necessary for human happiness . This statement can justify human rights ethic, because one is capable of morality of any country or state rank position by how happy the citizens in their respective state. It is ethical because the system is established by physical pleasure and the most moral acts are those maximize a person's pleasure and to reduce one's pain. Individuals in a prosperous country or state is better than a developing state living, typically owned by the idea that their country is big and other countries should follow their way to be …show more content…
If people are happy, and the highest in the country than in another, then there is a moral in this country, because the people of this country are generally happy with the morality that exists in the country also affects the happiness of the people in his country. The ranking system is a list of the best country with morality is actually a threat to many people and nations around the world. The best countries to prosper, a threat in the world, for countries that their habits better than a country than to find a success; the country believes it has the moral duty to provide help and assistance to the country where the people are not happy and successful by setting their government. By introducing their culture and ethics, the country is trying to destroy the development of the country by destroying their culture and making it their own, so their success as they can be. The country with the best position has the ability to govern ethical rules determined valid for all mankind by and abide by. The land that the greatest happiness feel that their way to obtain happiness is greater than other countries suffer, so they try to enforce ideals by force and conquest. Country caused the highest

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Powerful Essays

    This theory is a consequentialist based ethical theory which states you must choose the action that increases the total utility. John Stuart Mill was a key proponent of Utilitarianism. Utility is defined as the total happiness or pleasure, minus the total unhappiness or pain involved in the action. Another name for utility is the Greatest Happiness principle. From the definition of utility, pleasure and the absence of pain are the only things desirable as ends in themselves and are the only things that are good.…

    • 1730 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    Utilitarianism revolves around the concept of “the end justifies the means.” It believes that outcomes as a result of an action have a greater value compared to the latter, the morally right action is the action that produces the most good. It also states that the most ethical thing to do is to take advantage of happiness for the good of the society. This normative theory considers the overall good for all people and not just a single person.…

    • 517 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Utilitarianism is an ethical philosophy which seeks to maximize well-being for the largest amount of people. This means that if you can secure pleasure at no moral cost, you should do so. It also means that if you can prevent displeasure for others without sacrificing anything of equal moral value, you should. In Utilitarianism the key is the well-being for the entire population.…

    • 443 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Utilitarianism in ethics is the theory that the rightness or wrongness of an action is determined by its usefulness in bringing about the most happiness of all those affected by it. The word utilitarianism comes from the Greek word telos, which means “end”. Under this direction, acting ethically means making decisions and taking actions that benefit the people by maximizing “good” and minimizing “bad” (danielsfund.org). Englishmen Jerry Bentham and John Stuart Mill were too of the most influential developers of the utilitarian view point. Utilitarianism focuses on the pursuit of happiness.…

    • 816 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Utilitarianism is a relativist, consequentialist and teleological system of ethics based on the idea of ‘utility’. This means usefulness and utilitarian suggest that everyone should be the most useful thing. The theory was devised by Jeremy Bentham who said “an action is right if it produces the greatest good for the greatest number”. He believed human beings are motivated by pleasure and pain.…

    • 972 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    John Stuart Mill

    • 918 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Mill’s Utilitarianism states that in order to be moral, one must make decisions based upon the greatest happiness. In…

    • 918 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Classical Utilitarianism is a moral philosophy, which was developed in 19th century England by Jeremy Bentham, John Stuart Mill and Henry Sidgwick. The essential feature a utilitarian reside in, is the notion that an action is right if it produces the most amount of happiness well limiting suffering. Utilitarianism focuses solely on the consequences of the action, in an attempt to bring about the most happiness from each situation, well ensuring everybody’s happiness is equally considered.…

    • 996 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    Good and Evil in High Noon

    • 1373 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Utilitarianism is an ethical theory most often ascribed to the philosopher John Stuart Mill. The utilitarian theory suggests actions and/or intentions are not right or wrong; rather the morality of a choice or act is determined by the outcome or result. Utilitarian’s believe outcomes can be determined in advance of an action and the ethical choice is one which provides the best result or most happiness for the greatest number of individuals (e.g., pleasure, happiness, health, knowledge, satisfaction). The utility theory asserts morality is a means to some other end, it does not stand on its own as being intrinsically moral.…

    • 1373 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Utilitarian ethics is the theory that the starting point of ethics is the principal that everyone, humans and creatures alike, want to enjoy pleasures and avoid suffering. Starting from this principal ethics becomes a calculation of how to balance the greatest pleasure over suffering. (Waller, 2008, p. 50) According to utilitarian John Stuart Mill, “Actions are right as they tend to promote happiness, wrong as they tend to produce pain or the reverse of happiness.” (Defining Utilitarianism) Jeremy Bentham's Hedonic Calculus of utilitarian ethics states that we should always try to perform that act that leads to the greatest pleasure. “This raises the question as to how we are to quantify pleasure; if we cannot put a value on the quantity of pleasure that an act…

    • 2840 Words
    • 12 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    Utiliarianism

    • 840 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Utilitarianism is a theory in normative ethics holding that the proper course of action is the one that maximizes utility, usually defined as maximizing happiness and reducing suffering. Utilitarian ethics emphasizes the consequences of our acts. From the utilitarian perspective, there is no mystery about ethics; the right act is simply the act that produces the greatest balance of pleasure over suffering.…

    • 840 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Utilitarianism is a moral theory which centers on happiness and how we can promote it, and is measured by our actions. Utilitarianism explains how human’s ultimate goal is to achieve happiness. This is also called hedonism, limiting the amount of pain and equating happiness with pleasure. This theory explains how we aim for happiness through our actions.…

    • 1384 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    Mill's Utilitarianism

    • 1250 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Utilitarianism derives itself from a combination of hedonism and consequentialism. Hedonism suggests that consequences are good as long as they lead to pleasure, which is the ultimate good in the case of utilitarianism. On the other hand, consequentialism argues that the right action is the one that produces the best consequences, and maximizes utility. Mill argues that the only factor relevant to actions is the amount of pleasure or pain produced, not the motives that propel action. Utilitarianism seems to be based off of a calculation aiming to minimize pain and maximize pleasure. While justice can initially be seen as an objection to this school of ethics, it can be argued that justice complements, and does not challenge the principles…

    • 1250 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    In The End Utilitarianism

    • 476 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Utilitarianism is a theory in which the quote by Jeremy Bentham applies “The greatest happiness to the greatest amount of people” which means that the best action is the one in which the most pleasure is given to the majority of people. The majority always wins rather than the minority and pleasure is the sole good whereas pain is the sole evil.…

    • 476 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Utilitarianism argues that, given a set of choices, the act we should choose is that which produces the best results for the greatest number affected by that choice. Jeremy Bentham’s, an English utilitarian, went off by saying that actions should be pursued if they promote the greatest amount of happiness. Thus, happiness is identified with pleasure and the absence of pain.…

    • 523 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Utilitarianism is a theory of justice whose highest principle is to maximize happiness and utility: “The basic idea of utilitarianism is simple: the right thing to do is what produces the most good” (Mill, 15). The “most good” can be understood in terms of happiness, or the greater amount of pleasure than of pain. Therefore, utilitarians measure the consequences of actions by how much the results bring happiness to the greatest amount of people. The best alternative to any situation is the one that produces the greatest net utility. According to John Stuart Mill, “”Utility” or the “greatest happiness principle” holds that actions are right in proportion as they tend to promote happiness; wrong as they tend to produce the reverse of happiness” (16). Therefore, whatever produces the most good is considered to be just.…

    • 583 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays