FREE Utilitarian Moral Philosophy Essay (original) (raw)

I feel that the utilitarian moral philosophy best fit my business decision style. The reason is that I am conservative and I try not to create waves between personal decisions and corporate decisions. Moral philosophy is not the acquisition of scientific knowledge of what is right and what is wrong, but the development of the ability to reflect on the nature of our judgments of right and wrong. Moral philosophy provides a set of general rational principles, from which the answers to concrete moral problems can be reduced when the particular case is seen as falling under a general moral rule or rules. Moral philosophy may not be the only way, but it is the best and most obvious way, to develop one's powers of reflection on moral concepts and moral principles.
The utilitarian theories recognizes that all we can do, if we wish to make our actions conform to the principles of utilitarianism, is make our best practical judgment on the probable consequences of our actions. The utilitarian approach bases decisions on what is best for the majority. What is the best option for the most people with the least impact on others? The mere possibility that a severely disabled infant will turn out to be a 'Stephen Hawking' is no objection to the practice of non- voluntary euthanasia. We first have to make a judgement concerning probability. Anything is possible. We might occasionally murder a future genius, but it is more likely that the total suffering our policy eliminates will outweigh the loss of benefits. The stakeholder theory of corporate social responsibility is totally compatible with utilitarian ethical theory because the stakeholder concept requires balancing the interests of all the parties affected by business decisions.
If you are a utilitarian, you would look at the assessment of the ethics of all business decisions according to whether the benefits outweigh the costs but to do it right, you have to include all benefits and costs to all parties involved, not just the quantifiable ones.

1. Is Adultery Moral

For both moral and social reasons has the doctrine of monogamous, marital sex been established. ... If acts are not committed in a deceptive way, are they then moral. ... From a Utilitarian perspective this act is also immoral in that it goes against the norm of acceptable behavior for married persons. ... Moral and group level values remain the same from a Utilitarian standpoint, but there is a possible change of outcome on the personal level. ... First applying a Kantian moral philosophy, we observe that the man's decision does not breach the marriage agreeme...

2. Logic, Ethics and Philosophy

Moral absolutism is the theory that there is no one true morality with a consistent set of moral principles that never conflict. Moral objectivism states that moral principles have universal objectives. ... Utilitarians were social reformers and they also disagree about how the Principle of Utility should be applied. Act utilitarian is the view that the Principle of Utility should be applied to individual actions. Rule utilitarians say that it should be applied to the rules of action. ...

3. Logic, Ethics and Philosophy

Moral absolutism is the theory that there is no one true morality with a consistent set of moral principles that never conflict. Moral objectivism states that moral principles have universal objectives. ... Utilitarians were social reformers and they also disagree about how the Principle of Utility should be applied. Act utilitarian is the view that the Principle of Utility should be applied to individual actions. Rule utilitarians say that it should be applied to the rules of action. ...

4. Individualism And Animal Rights

Most of his ideas are built upon the utilitarian school of philosophy. ... Being utilitarian, other philosophers criticizes the Utilitarian point of view exhibited by Singer. Regan protests "Utilitarian has no room for the equal moral rights of different individuals because it has no room for their equal inherent value or worth. ... He calls for the need to move away from our modern moral philosophy based on humanism, which exclusively focuses on humans. ... These newly formed philosophies on animal rights help individuals form their own moral values, which include their relationship with n...

5. Utilitarianism & Kantian Thinking

Utilitarianism and Kantian Thinking Ethics is one part of philosophy that will always be studied, and like most subjects in philosophy, will never be viewed the same by everyone. ... In the studies of philosophy these beliefs are put into two categories: utilitarian, witch would give leeway to the guilty depending on the circumstances, and Kantian, were a crime is a crime, no matter the motives involved. ... Utilitarians disagreed on what good really is. ... In the Utilitarian view this could be a good moral judgment because the intent of the lie is to keep the child from the possibility of h...

6. Are moral truths relative?

Are Moral Truths Relative? ... Nevertheless, however modern philosophy attempts to thwart the principals of relativism it endures. ... Immanuel Kant's ethical system and the utilitarian system provide intelligent possibilities for moral judgement, however, they lie in direct conflict with one another. ... Mill, an important utilitarian thinker, "The utilitarian doctrine is that happiness is desirable, and the only thing desirable, as and end; all other things being desirable as a means to that end." ... For example, the ideal- utilitarian believes that there are things other than h...

7. Mill

Soon afterwards he formed a small "Utilitarian Society" and adopted his father's philosophical and political views. ... A utilitarian is someone who accepts the principle of utility - and is therefore concerned with maximizing value. ... We should appeal to the principle of utility itself only when we face a moral dilemma between two secondary principles. For example, that a moral principle of charity dictates that I should feed a starving neighbor, and a moral principle of self-preservation dictates that I should feed myself. ... Mill discusses our motivations to abide by the utilitarian...

8. mill

Soon afterwards he formed a small "Utilitarian Society" and adopted his father's philosophical and political views. ... A utilitarian is someone who accepts the principle of utility - and is therefore concerned with maximizing value. ... We should appeal to the principle of utility itself only when we face a moral dilemma between two secondary principles. For example, that a moral principle of charity dictates that I should feed a starving neighbor, and a moral principle of self-preservation dictates that I should feed myself. ... Mill discusses our motivations to abide by the utilitarian...

9. The Trolley Problem and Utilitarianism

Can Utilitarianism hold up to the toughest of moral dilemmas? What, you may ask, is a tough moral dilemma? (Tough moral dilemmas are often found at the extremes of any given situation.) ... The Doctrine of Double Effect is another method in the philosophy of ethics to judge if actions are morally right or wrong. This doctrine finds the same problems with the Utilitarian's moral reasoning and offers a new solution for the Trolley Problem and similar situations. ...

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