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Consequentialism: Jeremy Bentham And John Stuart Mill

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Consequentialism Consequentialism in which the basic code is that everyone must act in ways that bring about the greatest amount of happiness for the greatest amount of people. Happiness is the vital good that all creatures are seeking. This theory is powerfully based on the English philosophical tradition of Jeremy Bentham and John Stuart Mill: every action ought to be weighed by the consequences it has.
Deontology
Deontological theories put the prominence on the character itself, and not on its effects. The right or wrong of an action is the intrinsic spirit of an action. When the principle of an action can be universalized, the action is good. So, some actions are always good or wrong, no matter what the consequences are. Examples of …show more content…

If a man kills someone than in consequentialism the rightness or wrongness of killing must be explained by its consequences : if it has good consequences then it may be right to kill on the other hand ,if has bad consequences then it may be wrong to kill while in deontology the rightness or wrongness of killing cannot be explained simply by its consequeces.The action of killing is wrong in itself, independently of whether they have good consequences.
Relativist vs. objectivist
According to ethical relativism, whatever you think is right for you really is right for you, and no one can tell you any differently. while ethical objectivism there are such moral values and rules that require one to be honest, just , faithful, among others and such other rules requiring one not to steal, kill, torture. This is evidence that moral values are universal and relative to an individual.
Ethical objectivism has an aspect of universality of moral values and rules whereas ethical relativism confines moral values to the individuals and the …show more content…

A code of ethics document may outline the mission and values of the business or organization, how professionals are supposed to approach problems, the ethical principles based on the organization 's core values and the standards to which the professional will be held.
ACS code of Ethics As an ACS member one must uphold and advance the honor, dignity and effectiveness of being a professional. This entails, in addition to being a good citizen and acting within the law, ones conformance to the following ACS values. 1. The Primacy of the Public Interest: You will place the interests of the public above those of personal, business or sectional interests. 2. The Enhancement of Quality of Life: You will strive to enhance the quality of life of those affected by your work. 3. Honesty: You will be honest in your representation of skills, knowledge, services and products. 4. Competence: You will work competently and diligently for your stakeholders. 5. Professional Development: You will enhance your own professional development, and that of your

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To begin with, this theory relies on moral absolutes which can be defined as actions that are entirely right or entirely wrong. Deontologists cannot consider the consequences of their actions, even if the consequences of a particular action bring about more harm than the act itself. Deontology theory says that certain types of actions are either absolutely right or wrong, but provides no way in which to distinguish which action may be right or wrong and thus duties and principles can conflict (Preston, 2007). For instance,

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However, even though these are two opposing philosophies, with very different ideas governing their conclusions, we should look to learn from both and apply the knowledge we identify with, thus creating our own philosophies. In this essay I wish to do exactly that; to compare and contrast these two ideologies in order to better understand them and help others do the same. First we must understand what is Deontology. The word deontology when broken down to its roots literally means, the study of the nature of duty and obligation.

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”(p.19) This shows that in the study of ethics, the study of moral relativism to be more specific, the idea of universal truth does not exist. That is to say what is perceived as “good” or “right” can vary form culture to culture, so there is no way to have one universal truth. Two major examples of cultural differences that are often cited in Support

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Utilitarianism’s consequence-driven ideology allows it to be manipulated to condone evidently immoral acts as appropriate if it benefits a majority group, as in the case of slavery (Anderson, 2004). Deontology, however, portrays all humans as equals and, thus, disregards immoral actions as a means to satisfy a majority. For example, the killing of a single man to aid several transplants would be justified by utility but is abolished by Deontology due to its irrational premises. Conclusion

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In this prompt the argument that Morality exists is irrelevant, contrary to our thoughts and beliefs. Everyone follows a set of moral rules. Ethical relativists disagree with this belief because, they believe that morals are distinctive from each individual culture. These relativists as described are mixing up moral and cultural distinctions, or are simply not willing to completely understanding the cultures they are standing up for. There are two different types of relativism Ethical, and Cultural, that rely upon the argument of cultural differences, which have flaws that make the argument unsound.

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Every society has its own unique cultures in which people will have different ideas of moral codes. The diversity of these cultures cannot be said to be correct or incorrect. Every society has independent standards of ethic within their society and these standards are culture-bound. Cultural Relativism has a perception in which rightness or wrongness of an action depends entirely within the bounds of the culture. This theory opposes the belief in the objectivity of moral truth.

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Therefore, this will allow me to put my interests aside and place the needs of others above when working in a professional capacity. This value will guide me to use my professional voice to promote the well-being of my clients. Moreover, this will extend to promoting personal development in

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Utilitarianism and Deontology are two major ethical theories that influence nursing practice. Utilitarian principles of promoting the greatest good for the greatest amount of people parallels the nursing tenet of beneficence. Deontological principles of treating individuals with dignity, and promoting the well-being of the individual parallels the nursing tenet of non-maleficence. Utilitarian and Deontological principles can be utilized to resolve ethical dilemmas that arise in the nursing profession. The purpose of this paper is to define utilitarianism and deontology, discuss the similarities and differences between the two, and to address an ethical dilemma utilizing utilitarian and deontological principles.

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While utilitarian ethics focuses on producing the greatest happiness for the greatest number, deontological ethics focuses on what makes us worthy of happiness. For Kant, as for the Stocis and other who emphasize duty, we are worthy of happiness only when we do our duty. As Kant explained, morality “is not properly the doctrine of how we are to make ourselves happy but of how we are to become worthy of happiness.” For Kant, morality is not a “doctrine of happiness” or set of instructions on how to become happy. Rather, morality is the “rational condition of happiness”

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John Stuart Mill, at the very beginning of chapter 2 entitled “what is utilitarianism”. starts off by explaining to the readers what utility is, Utility is defined as pleasure itself, and the absence of pain. This leads us to another name for utility which is the greatest happiness principle. Mill claims that “actions are right in proportions as they tend to promote happiness, wrong as they tend to produce the reverse of happiness.” “By Happiness is intended pleasure and the absence of pain, by happiness, pain and the privation of pleasure”.

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Consequentialists say that morality is all about producing the right kinds of overall consequences. They believe that whether the action is right or wrong depends solely on its consequences. In order to follow this, we first figure out what is valuable or good and then we MAXIMIZE it. If the consequence of the action produces the maximum amount of good for the greatest number of people, then the action is right. Consequentialism is controversial.

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Immanuel Kant and John Stuart Mill are two of the most notable philosophers in normative ethics. This branch of ethics is based on moral standards that determine what is considered morally right and wrong. This paper will focus on Immanuel Kant’s theory of deontology and J.S. Mill’s theory of utilitarianism. While Mill takes a consequentialist approach, focused on the belief that actions are right if they are for the benefit of a majority, Kant is solely concerned with the nature of duty and obligation, regardless of the outcome. This paper will also reveal that Kantian ethics, in my opinion, is a better moral law to follow compared to the utilitarian position.

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As per the reading suggested by the instructor about the philosophical idea of Consequentialism (Utilitarianism) given by Jeremy Bentham and John Stuart Mill and the other concept which is given by Immanuel Kant in the critics of Utilitarianism theory which is called Deontological Ethics. The reading given made understand about all these two concept and their possible application in the policy or law making like the universal law. Utilitarianism:- this is the concept used by Jeremy Bentham (1748-1832) and the John Stuart Mill (1806-1873). The core idea of this theory is the results comes from the action taken by the group of people or the individual. According to theory the outcomes will be judged weather the action was morally right or wrong.

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The Strength and Vulnerability of Different Moral Views Over centuries of fervent discussion in the moral world, there is still nothing like a consensus on a set of moral views. This essay attempts to outline and critically evaluate two moral views, namely ethical objectivism and cultural relativism. It is crucial to understand that both moral theories cannot be true at the same time as it results in contradictions, contributing to false beliefs. Additionally, it is essential that we discuss these issues with an open-mind so as to gain deeper insights from them. First and foremost, we will be looking at the prominent view of ethical objectivism.

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One of the most regarded ethical theories in contemporary period is deontological ethics. From historical point of view, contemporary or recent refers to the early or middle part of the twentieth century, and even the late nineteenth century. There are some features of these contemporary ethical theories that appear to express relatively modern points of view. One of which is the emphasis on plurality or multiplicity and relativity; another feature is the denial of absolutes and universality. Theories in this era focus on the importance of lower-level rules, judgements or decisions that are said to test, enhance or even replace principles.

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