I am looking at ethics and wish to expand my understanding of certain concepts. Does utalitrinism work in as an ethical philosophy? does the greater good of all for the sacrifice of one really work with emotion?
2006-12-27 18:43:58 · 5 answers · asked by Anonymous in Social Science ➔ Psychology
The philosophical belief that the right action is that that brings the greatest good to the greatest number of people.
Its main problem is that it ignores the individual's own rights at some level. Unless so restricted that it no longer should be called utilitarianism, it will insist that individual rights should be over ridden if this brings greater benefits to many other people in society.
2006-12-27 18:45:25 · answer #1 · answered by Oldbeard 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Utilitarianism (from the Latin utilis, useful) is the ethical doctrine that the moral worth of an action is solely determined by its contribution to overall utility. It is thus a form of consequentialism. Utility--the good to be maximized(the greatest good to the greatest number)-- has been defined by various thinkers as happiness, pleasure, or well-being. While it is natural to consider only the well being of humans when interpreting this doctrine, some utilitarians count the interests of any and all sentient beings when assessing overall utility. According to them, the interests of animals and possibly even extraterrestrial beings have importance.
2006-12-27 18:54:22 · answer #2 · answered by meg 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
"One potential rule for an act utalitarian would be: "whenever a surgeon could kill one relatively healthy person in order to transplant his organs to more than one other person who needs them, he ought to do so." If instituted in society, this rule would obviously lead to bad consequences. Relatively healthy people would stop going to the hospital, many risky transplant operations would be performed, etc. Therefore, a rule utilitarian would say we should implement the opposite rule: "don't harvest healthy people's organs to give them to sick people." For a rule utilitarian, therefore, it would be immoral for the surgeon to kill the healthy man." -- wikipedia
2006-12-27 19:01:04 · answer #3 · answered by WaterStrider 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Find out for yourself!
2006-12-27 21:27:27 · answer #4 · answered by los 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
try here .....................................en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Utilitarianism
2006-12-28 05:22:46 · answer #5 · answered by angies_angel_eyes2 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋