Utilitarianism is an ethical theory that places the rightness and wrongness of a decisions is solely based on the consequences. Applying this theory moves the person beyond their own interests and takes into account the interests of others. Utilitarianism refers to the “Greatest Happiness Principle”: to promote the capability of achieving happiness for the most amount of people. The quality of happiness is central to utilitarianism. At its core utilitarianism is a moral principle that holds that the right course of action in any situation is the one that produces the greatest balance of benefits over harms for everyone affected. So long as a course of action produces maximum benefits for everyone, utilitarianism does not care whether the benefits are produced by lies, manipulation, or coercion. Which is difficult for people to grasp fully because emotions are applied so heavily in moral crisis. …show more content…
Have them imagine that the C.I.A. gets wind of a plot to set off a bomb in a major city: Columbus, New York, Washington, D.C. let them take their pick. C.I.A. agents capture a suspect who, they believe, has information about where the bomb is planted. Is it acceptable for them to torture the suspect into revealing the bomb's location? Is it really acceptable to compromise the dignity of a single individual in order to save many others? If one answers yes, they are using utilitarian moral reasoning. Utilitarianism is often used and if one were to ask another why they made the decision to torture the suspect they will likely point out the good or the harm it will