Utilitarianism?

Question

Thinking like an utilitarian...what would you choose? You have an extra hundred bucks.......you saved for something you wanted for a long time, however your mom's birthday is coming up and you forgot her last year, so while contemplating this you notice a poster of a starving boy. So what would you do, buy that item you longed for, buy your mother a birthday present or donate money to the starving boy in poster??

Philosophical thinkers only please, use the mind not heart while answering keeping utilitarian thought in mind.

Answer 1

to a true utilitarian the options not just involving yourself would work since they are driven by the decision that makes the most people happy. if you spend it on yourself you are the only happy one, but if you make your mother happy, or feed the kid , then they are happy, and you get some pleasure out of your generosity. therefore 2 people are happy, in a way, meaning those decisions brought about equal happiness which makes both of these decisions the right thing to do.

Answer 2

to seek the outcome were most people benefit,

i would spend fifity on mom and fifty on the starving boy.
Mom would be happy and that would make me happy
the starving boy is just a poster so who knows how many kids that money would help and that generosity would make me happy. so split the hundred 50/50

Answer 3

If we only had the three choices we’d have to go with the boy in the poster, but if we had other choices we would donate it to another charity of some sort where more then one boy would be helped.

Answer 4

they say that you should chose the one that gives you more pleasure,that is for utility to you.they are for individuality.so i would say as an utilitarianism i would chose that with those money I'd buy the thing that i wonted for a long time ,couse the consequence of this act would bring me pleasure.

Answer 5

Donate. It has this utility of earning some points with St.Peter.................