UTILITARIANISM DISCUSSION | ETHICS

Objectives
A. How can we apply the theory in this contemporary world?
B. What are the objections?
C. Trolley and Patients Scenarios
I. INTRODUCTION
a) Definition :
－ Utilitarianism is an ethical theory that argues that the best way to determine
what is right and wrong is to focus on the results of acts and decisions. It is a
form of consequentialism. (Ethics Unwrapped, 2023)
－ Utilitarianism holds that the most ethical choice is the one that will produce the
greatest good for the greatest number. (Ethics Unwrapped, 2023)
－ Utilitarianism is commonly understood to be the belief that the ethically correct
action is the one that creates the greatest good. (The History of Utilitarianism,
2014)
b) Key Figures
i. Jeremy Bentham (1748-1832)
 Jeremy Bentham developed the principle of utility in 1769, a fundamental
aspect of utilitarian ethics influenced by Hume, Priestley, Helvétius, and
Beccaria. This principle posits that an action is morally right if it boosts
happiness and wrong if it heightens pain. Bentham, defining happiness as
pleasure and the absence of pain, dismissed the idea of inalienable natural
rights. Instead, he applied the principle of utility to inform his beliefs on legal
rights within the context of law and government. (Hampton, L., 2023)
ii. John Stuart Mill (1806-1873)
 John Stuart Mill expanded on Bentham's hedonic calculus by introducing a
qualitative aspect, considering the quality, not just the quantity, of pleasure.
He also distinguished between act-utilitarianism, which assesses individual
actions based on immediate consequences, and rule-utilitarianism, which
focuses on overarching principles governing categories of actions. Mill's
contributions refined the utilitarian framework by incorporating nuanced
evaluations of pleasure and emphasizing the importance of rules in ethical
decision-making.
II. CORE PRINCIPLES (Tardi, C., 2023)
 a) Principle of Utility
 According to this principle, a course of action is morally correct if it results in
the greatest amount of happiness or pleasure for the greatest number of people,
and wrong if it causes more suffering than pleasure.
 The principle of utilitarianism asserts that actions are deemed right if they
contribute to happiness and wrong if they lead to unhappiness, regardless of the
motives. However, it sparks controversy as many argue that the moral quality of
an action should also consider the underlying motives or intentions, challenging
the notion that consequences alone determine morality. This debate highlights
the ongoing tension between consequentialist perspectives and those that
emphasize the significance of motives in ethical evaluations.
B. Principle of Hedonism
 According to this principle, the course of action that maximizes enjoyment for
all parties involved is the appropriate one. It makes the assumption that an
action's morality is determined by how much pleasure it brings and how
much sorrow it helps to avoid.
 This idea says that joy or happiness is valuable just because it's good on its
own. It's not like things that are valuable because they help us achieve
something else. This way of thinking focuses on the basic goodness of
happiness and questions other views that judge value based on usefulness or
purpose.
C. Principle of Equality
 In utilitarianism, the equality principle asserts that everyone's interests
should be treated the same, regardless of their personal situations or the
nature or content of their interests.
 The idea is that, according to Bentham, everyone's happiness matters
equally. This notion challenged the prevailing belief in the past that certain
lives and happiness were more valuable. Bentham's principle of equality calls
for government policies that benefit everyone, not just the privileged few.
III. APPLICATIONS IN CONTEMPORARY WORLD
a) Politics
 Utilitarianism has been used to justify punishment. Utilitarians believe that
punishment should prevent further crime by reforming the criminal, protecting
society from the criminal, and deterring others from crime.
  EXPLANATION: Utilitarianism impacts politics that goes beyond justification of
punishment. Proponents of utilitarian principles contend that the goal of
legislation and policy decisions should be to maximize the happiness or well-
being of the entire society. According to this perspective, political actions should
prioritize results that have a beneficial impact on the wellbeing of the community
and work toward achieving the greatest benefit for the largest number of people.
When politicians use consequentialist thinking to maximize societal well-being,
they frequently incorporate utilitarian concerns into their discussions of topics
like social welfare programs, healthcare laws, and economic restrictions.
b) Business
 Utilitarianism is the most common approach to moral reasoning used in
business because of the way in which it accounts for costs and benefits. For
example, a doctor who works long hours every day to treat their patients is
making a utilitarian sacrifice.
 Explanation: Utilitarianism is a key component of moral reasoning in the
corporate world because of its skill at managing costs and benefits. Utilitarian
concepts in business seek to enhance happiness or well-being overall while
taking into account the implications for different stakeholders. An organization
that adopts environmentally sustainable practices, for example, can be
motivated by a utilitarian perspective, aiming to strike a balance between
environmental advantages and financial considerations for the long-term welfare
of society. When it comes to corporate ethics, the utilitarian viewpoint frequently
calls for balancing the interests of consumers, staff, and the larger community in
order to maximize benefits and reduce drawbacks.
c) Medicine
 Utilitarian ethics dictates that treating five patients with a very common and
easy-to-treat disease is morally superior as a greater overall benefit is achieved
 Explanation: Utilitarian ethics directs decisions in the medical field with an
emphasis on optimizing total benefit. Utilitarian principles, for example, would
support a situation in which treating five individuals with a common, easily
treatable sickness is morally better. This method places a higher priority on the
greatest good for the largest number of people, emphasizing the effective use of
resources to produce the best results. In medicine, utilitarian factors go beyond
individual instances; they impact healthcare policies, resource allocation plans,
 and medical intervention prioritization in order to improve the population's
overall well-being.
In Summary
 Utilitarianism prioritizes acts that enhance well-being overall, which impacts
ethical thinking in business, politics, and medicine. In politics, it shapes choices
about policies to maximize societal benefit. Utilitarian concepts are used in
business to make decisions by balancing costs and benefits in order to maximize
good results for stakeholders. Utilitarian ethics in medicine place an emphasis
on treating the largest number of patients for the benefit of all, focusing on
effective resource allocation and the welfare of the group as a whole.
Utilitarianism uses consequentialist thinking and the pursuit of the highest
overall happiness to improve social welfare in each of these domains
IV. CRITICISM/CHALLENGES (McCartney, S., & Parent, R., 2015)
a) Measuring happiness is difficult.
 Measuring happiness is tricky because it's subjective and varies between people.
－ Why is it subjective?
 Measuring happiness is subjective because it depends on individual
perspectives and experiences. What brings joy or contentment to one
person may not have the same effect on another.
 Like for example, what brings us more happiness - winning a million
dollars or hearing good health news from a doctor? Does the value of
happiness depend on time or importance? Winning a million dollars
might be seen as a lasting source of happiness, but good health news
might be forgotten quickly. So, we need to consider what truly makes
us the happiest.
 Happiness is influenced by personal values, priorities, and unique life
circumstances, making it challenging to establish a universal
standard for its measurement. The interpretation of events, their
significance, and the emotional impact they have can vary widely
among individuals, adding subjectivity to the assessment of
happiness.
b) Concerned about the consequences of our actions, regardless of the action
itself.
  Utilitarian ethics looks at the consequences of our actions rather than the
actions themselves. However, foreseeing outcomes can be challenging due to
unpredictable factors. Consider a situation where a police officer writes tickets at
an intersection, intending to create a safer environment. Unfortunately, an
unintended consequence occurs – a fatal accident due to disrupted traffic.
 Consider a government implementing a new economic policy to boost
employment. Utilitarian ethics would focus on the overall consequences: if
the policy leads to increased job opportunities and improved well-being for
the majority, it would be considered morally acceptable. However, predicting
all the economic variables and potential unintended consequences, such as
inflation or unequal distribution of benefits, can be challenging, highlighting
the complexities of applying utilitarian principles to real-world scenarios.
c) Desired ethical consequences that actually result from our actions do not
always happen immediately
 Determining the ethics of an action becomes complex when the desired
consequences don't occur immediately. The key question is how long one should
wait before judging an action as ethical or punitive, especially when considering
the varying perspectives and impacts over time.
 For example:
 Imagine a school principal deciding to eliminate a popular extracurricular
activity due to concerns about safety. The principal believes there's a risk
of accidents during the activity that might harm students. While the
decision is made with the ethical intention of prioritizing student safety,
some students and parents may see it as a punishment, especially if the
potential risks are not immediately apparent.
 In evaluating the ethics of the principal's decision, one would need to ask,
"How much time should pass before we can determine if this action was
genuinely ethical, focused on safety, or if it was perceived as punitive by
those affected?" The ethical assessment becomes a complex interplay
between the intended positive consequence (safety) and the perceived
negative consequence (loss of a beloved activity) over time.
d) Happiness shouldn’t be the only consequence or goal that matters in some
ethical dilemmas
  Happiness isn't the only important factor in ethical dilemmas; some goals, like
human rights, matter more.
 Consider a student who discovers that cheating on a test could lead to better
grades and immediate happiness. Utilitarianism might suggest that if the
cheating benefits the student and possibly others, it's justified for the greater
good. However, opponents argue that promoting academic integrity and
honesty should outweigh the short-term gain, emphasizing the conflict
between utilitarian thinking and the importance of maintaining ethical
standards.
e) Minority’s right may not be taken into consideration
 Utilitarian decisions that make most people happy might forget about the rights
of a few. This clashes with individual rights and goes against modern justice
ideas. Making choices for the majority should also think about how it affects the
minority.
 Imagine a town voting to demolish an old library to build a modern
community center, providing more services for the majority. Utilitarianism
might argue for the greater happiness this brings, but it may not consider
the attachment and historical value the library holds for a minority who
value its heritage. This scenario prompts reflection on how utilitarian
decisions can sometimes overlook the sentiments and rights of those in the
minority
In conclusion, utilitarianism has challenges since it is difficult to predict results and
determine happiness in a way that is universally accepted. It might be difficult to
determine whether a behavior is genuinely moral or if it feels like a punishment,
particularly when there are delayed effects. In order to improve the utility of
utilitarianism, it is necessary to take into account the intentions of individuals as well
as potential unanticipated events. It's about striking a balance between achieving the
greatest benefit and navigating the difficulties of real-world circumstances.

V. CONCLUSION
To sum up, utilitarianism seeks to promote happiness for all, although it has
challenges in the modern world. Predicting results and adjusting to the reality that
happiness varies from person to person are among the difficulties. It's critical to strike a
balance between upholding individual rights, thinking about the long term, and
pursuing the greatest good.
Prominent figures in utilitarianism are Jeremy Bentham and John Stuart Mill.
Bentham concentrated on quantifiable happiness, whereas Mill added a qualitative
element. They paved the way for our current understanding of moral decision-making.
Although utilitarianism has its uses, it must be applied carefully to avoid
disregarding personal freedoms and pressing issues. There isn't a one answer that
works for everyone, and addressing the intricacies of the actual world requires taking a
variety of ethical factors into account.