CONSEQUENTIALIST

THEORY
Dr. Le Thi Thanh Xuan

By: Group 05 - Suffering

Phạm Ngọc Thảo Ngân 2053259
Nguyễn Minh Nghiêm 2053262
Nguyễn Duy Thiện 2053454
Vũ Thị Thanh Thư 2053485
 TABLE OF
CONTENT
Literature and Explanation
Definition
Types
Principles
Counterpoints

Examples
Supportive examples and
Counter example
01
LITERATURE &
EXPLANATION
Definition: Consequentialist Theory
Book 1: Business Ethics
“It is the ethicality in terms of
the outcomes caused by an
action”
Book 2: The ethics of development
“It is the moral judgment on the
outcomes of a decision or an
action.”

Martin, Nwadiugwu, 2015

“It determines whether to do or not do something based on
the expected result of the action. If the expected result is
good then it's ethically right to do, if it's bad then it is wrong.”
Definition: Consequentialist Theory

02 KEY COMPONENTS
PROBABILITY VALUE
This should be This is a distinctively
based on the best ethical evaluation of
evidence available the good
Definition: Consequentialist Theory
Principles
An act is right or wrong depends only on the results of that act

The more good consequences an act produces, the better or

more right that act
Definition: Consequentialist Theory
Consequentialist Theory
Right or wrong action bases on its outcomes, no matter itself
right or wrong

Contrast
Deontological Theory
Right or wrong action bases on itself right or wrong, no
matter its outcomes
Definition: Consequentialist Theory
Egoism Utilitarianism
Promoting the good of an Promoting the good of society
individual

02 embodiments
Definition: Utilitarianism
“An action is considered ethical according to
consequentialism when it promotes the good
of society or produces the greatest net benefit
(or lowest net cost) to society when compared
to all the other alternatives.”

Bentham, 1789
 Definition: Utilitarianism
Whether an action is right or wrong is
01
determined solely by its consequences

03 essential The value of the consequences is assessed in terms

02
elements of the amount of happiness or well-being caused

03 A person’s happiness is of equal value to others

Definition: Utilitarianism
It can justify making decisions that violate a person’s
01
human rights.

Counter 02 It requires an impartial decision-maker.

points

It only thinks of the consequences in the immediate

03
future (or future consequences are difficult to predict).
EXAMPLES

SUPPORTIVE
EXAMPLES
 EXAMPLE 1
Google’s Project Nightingale
OVERVIEW
The project referred to “Data Mining in Healthcare”,
which:
Identify useful and understandable patterns by
analyzing large sets of data.
Help to predict industry or information trends, then
determine what to do about them.
Be managed by Google and Ascension.
 EXAMPLE 1
Google’s Project Nightingale
What are the effects?
Good Sides:
Cost decreases by increasing efficiencies.
Quality improvement of life and saving the lives of
more patients
Bad Side:
Concerns over privacy and use of patients’
information.
EXAMPLE 1
Google’s Project Nightingale

Who are the stakeholders?

Ascension patients.
Google users.
Especially, Google staff who have access to all
the patients’ information.
 EXAMPLE 1
Google’s Project Nightingale
What is the ethical issue?
Cost Benefit Analysis
Benefits: Innovating healthcare methods for making
greater lives for patients and creating a better world.
Costs: Probably failing to respect the privacy of
some others.
When Benefit > Cost, then Google’s Project is creating
the greatest good for the greatest number of people.
→ Consequentialism happens positively
Example 2.
Space Shuttle Challenger disaster
OVERVIEW
Space Shuttle Challenger’s actions:
The case involves the 1986 explosion of the space shuttle
Challenger, resulting in the deaths of seven astronauts.
The explosion was due to low temperatures causing the
shuttle's O-rings to fail.
Morton Thiokol Inc. was responsible for manufacturing the
booster rockets.
Roger Boisjoly, a Thiokol employee, had warned about the
O-rings' vulnerability to low temperatures.
Boisjoly and other engineers advised Thiokol and NASA
against the launch, but both entities proceeded.
Example 2.
Space Shuttle Challenger disaster

What are the effects?

Good Sides:
None mentioned in the provided
information.
Bad Side:
Loss of lives (seven astronauts).
Ethical dilemma for Boisjoly
regarding public safety vs. job
security.
Example 2.
Space Shuttle Challenger disaster
What is the ethical issue?
Cost - Benefit Analysis
Benefits: Protecting public safety,
preventing future accidents, ensuring
justice for the astronauts' families.
Costs: Potential job security for Boisjoly,
challenges within the investigation
commission.
When Benefit > Cost
→ Consequentialism happens positively
When Benefit < Cost
→ Consequentialism happens negatively
EXAMPLES

COUNTER
EXAMPLES
 Example: Pyramid scheme
THEORY: Judging whether a consequence is
either good or bad depends on the individual.
EXAMPLE: A person not knowing he/she is in a
pyramid scheme will believe their sales
activities are rightful and pose no harm to
others. Thus, it is hard to blame that person’s
actions resulting in worse consequences for
other people.
→ COUNTER POINT: Consequentialism fails to
make sense if an individual is not aware of the
consequence of an act to be bad.
 CONCLUSION
Consequentialist ethics judge an action as right
or wrong on the basis of the outcome regardless
that the action itself is right or wrong.

In some cases, consequentialism is false and

fails to express Partiality, Equality, Human Rights,
and Human Thinking.
 REFERRENCES
1. Unit 1 Introduction to Ethics.” 2.3 Teleological Ethics, Al Attili, A.
2. “The Tricky Ethics of Google's Project Nightingale, an Effort to Learn from Millions of Health Records.”
Assistant Professor of Public Health, The Conversation, 13 Sept. 2022,
3. “Data Mining in Healthcare: Purpose, Benefits, and Applications.” USF Health Online, 16 Nov. 2021,
4. “Ethics Introduction to Ethics: Consequentialism.” BBC, BBC,
5. “Examples of Utilitarianism in Business: Utilitarianism Case Study.” Free Essays,
https://ivypanda.com/essays/utilitarianism theory case study/
6. “Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy ”, https://iep.utm.edu/consequentialism utilitarianism/
7. “Google Lấn Sân Sang Mảng Dịch Vụ Chăm Sóc Sức Khỏe .” Bnews.vn,
8. “Utilitarianism and Consequentialism the GM Bailout.” Seven Pillars Institute, 18 Jan. 2018
9. "Modern Moral Philosophy“, Anscombe, G. E. M. (1958)
“Utilitarianism: For and Against”, Smart, J. J. C., and Bernard Williams. 1973, Cambridge University Press
THANK YOU
Any questions?