UTILITARIANISM
UTILITARIANISM
This
is a philosophical view or theory that
deals with how we should evaluate a broad range of things that has to do with
choices that people face, like
actions, laws, policies, character traits, and moral codes. It is a version of
consequentialism. Utilitarianism is a universal teleological system. It
concerns any action that brings about pleasurable end and maximizes utility for
the greater number of persons. This theory takes all interest equally and it
does not discriminate among class[1].
It calls for the maximization of goodness in the society, that is the greatest
goodness for the greatest number and not merely the god of the agent. Jeremy
Bentham is one of the founder of this theory.
Utilitarianism has two main features which are:
The consequentialist principle or its teleological aspect, which states that
the rightness or wrongness of an act is determined by the goodness or badness
of the results that flow from it. It is the ends that count not the means that
count, the ends justify the means. The second is Utility, or hedonist principle
which states that, the only thing that is intrinsic good in itself are pleasure, happiness and welfare.
It views pleasure as the sole good and pain as the only evil.
Act and
Rule Utilitarianism
Act Utilitarianism is a concept that posit that
the right action that brings maximum happiness or pleasure to the maximum
number of people. It is an ethical theory that believes that morality of an
action is evaluated by its usefulness to most people, it acts in accord with
the moral rules since it brings greater good or happiness.
Rule utilitarianism is a concept that belief that
an action can be morally right if it conforms to the rules that will lead to
the greatest good or happiness. It hold to the belief that the correctness of
an action is evaluated by the correctness of it rules and that if the correct
rule is followed, the greatest good or happiness is achieved.
Difference
between Act and Rule Utilitarianism
Act utilitarianism beliefs its right to break a
rule as long as it brings a greater good or happiness, while Rule
utilitarianism beliefs that even a rule cannot bring a greater god or
happiness, breaking it will not either.
Rule utilitarianism beliefs that the moral
correctness of an action depends on the correctness of the rules that allows it
to achieve the greatest good, while Act utilitarianism is a belief that an
actions is morally right if it produces the greatest good for the maximum
number of people.
EGOISM
Egoism is the fact of thinking that oneself is
better or more important than anyone else. The concept of egoism raises such
questions like , what is the place of self-regard, self-interest, or self-love
in the moral life? Is everything that we do really done out of the motive of
self-interest so that morality is necessarily egoistic? Is some form egoism the
best moral theory? Is selflessness possible, and if so, is it rational?
There are two main types of egoism that interest
moral philosophers, psychological egoism and ethical egoism.
Psychological
Egoism
Psychological egoism is the position that we
always do that act we perceive to be in our own best self-interest. That is
there is no other option but to be selfish. Nothing can motivate us than what
we believe will promote our interest. Humans beings always try to promote their
self-interest. It claims that each person has but ultimate aim on his or her
welfare. It claims to be description of human nature, that is, it holds that
all people are in fact psychologically designed to act only in those ways that
advance their perceived individual self-interest. It assert that humans being
always act in their own interest, and cannot but in their own interest, even
though they may disguise their motivation with references to helping others or
doing their duty.
Ethical
Egoism
Ethical egoism is the theory that holds that
everyone ought always to do those acts that will best serve his or her own best
self-interest. Is a theory on how we ought to behave. That is, our moral
obligation is to seek one's own self-interest, and the rightness or wrongness
of our conduct depends on us fulfilling our self- interest. Ethical egoism
theory is more universal, it urges everyone to maximize his or her best
interests. This theory might also apply to things other than acts, such as
rules or character traits. It has a strong version and the weak version. The
strong version held that it is always moral to promote one's own good, and it
is never moral not to promote it and the weak version, claims that although it
is always moral to promote one's own good, it is not necessarily never moral to
not. That is, there may be conditions in which the avoidance of personal
interest may be moral action.
Epicurean
Hedonism
Epicurus adheres to Aristotle's ethics that the
highest good is what is valued for its own sake, and not for the sake of
anything else and also agrees that happiness is the highest good. He disagree
with Aristotle on the notion that happiness is pleasure and is main reason is
that pleasure is the only thing that people do, as a matter of fact, value for
its own sake. this means that Epicurus ethical hedonism is based upon is
psychological hedonism. He stated that everything we do, is for the sake
ultimately of gaining pleasure for ourselves.
Epicurus makes a distinction between two types of
pleasure, which are kinetic and static pleasure. He avers that kinetic pleasure
occurs when one is in the process of satisfying a particular desire. Example,
when one drinks water when thirsty. These pleasure involve an active
stimulation of the senses and their feelings are what most people call
pleasure. Thus static pleasure is when one is satisfied and no longer being in
need or want is itself pleasure. Furthermore, he distinguishes between mental
and physical pleasure and pain. Physical pleasure and pain are concerned with
the present while the mental pleasure encompasses the past ,present and the
future. So he posit that anxiety of the future and regret of the past are the
greatest danger to pleasure.
Hedonism is associated with the excessive
pleasure- seeking or with refined sensual pleasure. Epicurus thought pleasure
and pain were at the human morality. His assertion was that pleasure and pain
are so important to human existence that all our actions are governed by
seeking pleasure and trying to avoid pain. Epicurus saw the absence of pain as
a pleasure in itself.
[1] Cf. Louis P. Poiman and James
Fieser, Ethics Discovering Right and
Wrong (USA, Wadsworth,1976)p. 103
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