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John Stuart Mill The Harm Principle Analysis

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The tenet of paternalism has been the subject of thorough investigation and can be followed back to the times of John Stuart Mill. Paternalism is characterized as the activity of control over an individual and an obstruction with a person 's through and through liberty. Mill respected any outer intercession in singular issues, regardless of the possibility that conferred for the actor 's welfare, as an infringement of individual liberty (a policeman keeping a person from intersection an unsafe scaffold is a well - known illustration utilized by Mill). Mill 's "Harm Principle," denies restrictions on singular liberties unless such confinements lessen "damage to people other than the actor (the one disallowed from acting) and there is most likely no different implies that is similarly viable at no more prominent cost to different esteems." The Harm Principle does not …show more content…

The problem of his instrumental argument is successfully resolved with the distinction between self - sovereignty and self - ownership. With this key concept in soft paternalism, individual liberty does not contradict human excellence, and thus does not produce a consequentialist argument. After analysis, the ambiguous concepts of harm and self - regarding actions become clearer, because soft paternalism provides for compatibility between moral obligations to paternalistic actions and the self - governing realm. Soft paternalism recognizes a distinct division of roles between the individual and others, which is more useful than that of the harm principle and more flexible than that of hard paternalism. In this way, the moral obligation to avoid inaction, if such inaction causes harm to others, provides a ground for justifiable paternalism. I n addition, individual liberty sets a sound limit within which an individual can rightfully promote his welfare unencumbered by unjust

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She speaks of positive duties as, “doing acts of e.g to look after children or aged parents” (380). Then she further explains that positive duties can extend such as acts of charity which are hardly said to be owed. This doctrine explains that it is morally worse to do harm than to allow that harm to occur. One example that Foot gives of a negative is the case of the steering, driver, who has a duty to refrain from injuring five men and duty to injuring one. One example of a positive duty that Foot gives is that of the hospital staff members that are faced with a scarce-drug conflict.

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Ross came up with a list of seven basic prima facie duties as they apply to individuals. These duties included a duty to (1) reparation, (2) fidelity, (3) gratitude, (4) justice, (5) beneficence, (6) self-improvement, and (7) nonmaleficence. Tom Regan’s Rights Theory stems around the idea that every person has four basic, semi-universal rights: (1) the right not to be harmed, (2) the right to aid when their rights have been violated, (3) the right to self-defense, and (4) the liberty right. In this paper I will also discuss Tom Regan’s worse off principle.

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It has its origin in the principles of society and the natural constitution of man. It existed prior to government, and would exist if the formality of government was abolished.” ( Paine 173). Concluding that society acts upon self interest, which creates laws to maintain the proper function of the

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Whether it is at the dinner table or in my family’s group text message, the conversation about my brother’s custody battle with my mother’s side of the family seems to remain a bitter topic, especially when discussing my role in it. When my father physically harmed my brother to the extent to which he had to go to the emergency room, the custody trial over my brother and me began. After several sources provided the judge with accusations against my father, I was the final source that needed to assert or deny my father’s abuse; with heavy consideration, I decided to lie to the judge by denying my father’s abuse. Under the principle of utilitarianism, philosophers would infer that lying is permissible if the consequences of doing so are good.

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I hold the belief that authority gains its jurisdiction and purpose through servicing the individual and when authority has failed to serve its purpose it is the subject's right to question and disobey. This philosophy is echoed in many of the constitutions of the modern world governments such as the United States. It is the subjects' faith in that the authority at hand is motivated to make these regulations for the common well being. Furthermore, the faith in that authority can be shaken as authority asserts control over controversial ethical dilemmas.

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Meaning, that we must be careful when expressing our thoughts that are based merely in our judgments without testing them with a fair and noble mind. With this in mind, no individual has the power to make another upset, sad, or feel any other emotion, as we have the power over our mind to allow it or not to allow it. However, some of us are quick to lead our opinions with our hearts or external factors, instead of seeing the bigger picture. Therefore, our quick judgments/reasoning can have an ugly impact in our world. But, what are truly the limits of human freedom?

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“We cannot have a world where everyone is a victim. "I'm this way because my father made me this way. I'm this way because my husband made me this way. " Yes, we are indeed formed by traumas that happen to us. But then you must take charge, you must take over, you are responsible.”

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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.

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In 1984 Kitchener introduced five moral principles that are viewed as the cornerstone of the ethical guidelines. The principles are each definite truths in and of themselves. The first principle is Autonomy which means people have the right to live their own lives as their actions do not prevent the well-being of others. They also have the right to act as a free agent as well as the freedom of choice. Then there is the principle Nonmaleficence

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1. Utilitarianism Philosopher View (Jeremy Bentham & John Mill) Utilitarianism theory was founded by Jeremy Bentham and then got expanded by John Mill who came up with the 2 types or forms of Utilitarianism which are Act Utilitarianism and Rule Utilitarianism. Utilitarianism says an action is right if it tends to promote happiness, and wrong if it tends to produce the reverse of happiness and doesn’t just involve the happiness of the performer of the action but also that of everyone affected by it.

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In philosophy, there are many different ethical theories on which we are believed to reason in everyday decision making. Philosophers such as Immanuel Kant, John Stuart Mill, and Aristotle all developed theories in which they believe we should follow in order to live full ethical and moral lives. Kantianism, utilitarianism, and virtue ethics are all unique theories, but with careful consideration, we can conclude that although virtue ethics generalizes the idea of a well rounded moral individual, There are still many issues that make it just as unreasonable and impractical as the other theories. Utilitarianism

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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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