Ethics in a philosophical debate: Being an abstract noun, the term ethics has been described in different ways

and with different conception. Here we will discuss the idea of Ethics given by some renowned philosophers.

Emmanuel Kant’s Analysis of Ethics:

German philosopher Immanuel Kant (1724–1804), believed that certain types of actions (including murder,
theft, and lying) were absolutely prohibited, even in cases where the action would bring about more happiness
than the alternative.  For Kantians, there are two questions that we must ask ourselves whenever we decide to
act:  (i) Can I rationally will that everyone act as I propose to act?  If the answer is no, then we must not perform
the action.  (ii)  Does my action respect the goals of human beings rather than merely using them for my own
purposes?  Again, if the answer is no, then we must not perform the action.  (Kant believed that these questions
were equivalent).
 
Kant believed that there was a supreme principle of morality, and he referred to it as The Categorical
Imperative.  The CI determines what our moral duties are.
Morality and imperatives:  What does it mean for one's duty to be determined by the categorical imperative?
What is an imperative?  An imperative is a command.  So, "Pay your taxes!" is an imperative, as are "Stop
kicking me!" and "Don't kill animals!"
Hypothetical Imperatives:  these imperatives command conditionally on your having a relevant desire.  E.g.
“If you want to go to medical school, study biology in college.”  If you don’t want to go to medical school, this
command doesn’t apply to you.  Another example, your father says, "if you are hungry, then go eat something!"
- if you aren't hungry, then you are free to ignore the command.
Categorical Imperatives:  These command unconditionally.  E.g. “Don’t cheat on your taxes.”  Even if you
want to cheat and doing so would serve your interests, you may not cheat.
What is the connection between morality and categorical imperatives?  Morality must be based on the
categorical imperative because morality is such that you are commanded by it, and is such that you cannot opt
out of it or claim that it does not apply to you.

Stuart Mill’s Idea of Utilitarianism:

Mill, unlike Kant, believed that "actions are right in proportion as they tend to promote happiness, wrong as
they tend to produce the reverse of happiness." Mill defines happiness as pleasure and the absence of pain. He
argues that pleasure can differ in quality and quantity, and that pleasures that are rooted in one's higher faculties
should be weighted more heavily than baser pleasures. Furthermore, Mill argues that people's achievement of
goals and ends, such as virtuous living, should be counted as part of their happiness.
Mill argues that utilitarianism coincides with "natural" sentiments that originate from humans' social nature.
Therefore, if society were to embrace utilitarianism as an ethic, people would naturally internalize these
standards as morally binding. Mill argues that happiness is the sole basis of morality, and that people never
desire anything but happiness. He supports this claim by showing that all the other objects of people's desire are
either means to happiness, or included in the definition of happiness. Mill explains at length that the sentiment
of justice is actually based on utility, and that rights exist only because they are necessary for human happiness.

Utilitarianism is an effort to provide an answer to the practical question “What ought a person to do?” The
answer is that a person ought to act so as to maximize happiness or pleasure and to minimize unhappiness or
pain.
The idea of Utilitarianism can be seen in two different ways:
i. Altruism ii. Egoism
Altruism: Altruism is a consequentialist ethics. Like utilitarianism, no specific acts are prohibited or required;
only outcomes matter. That explains why there aren’t lifestyle requirements for the altruist.
Egoism: Ethical egoism18: whatever action serves my self-interest is also the morally right action. What’s good
for me in the sense that it gives me pleasure and happiness is also good in the sense that it’s the morally right
thing to do.