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Utilitarianism Ethics Is False

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Utilitarianism Ethics is False
The utilitarian approach to ethics builds on the premise that the end justifies the means. It asserts that social actions such as punishment are ethical as long as they make society a better place. According to utilitarianism, society must take all actions possible to stamp out antisocial acts such as crimes. Hence, a criminal is punished to rid society of his acts. However, in reality, it is almost impossible for society to completely wipe out crime through punishment. Nevertheless, everything worthwhile has to be done to reduce crime and make society better. Utilitarianism thus considers a means to an end, regardless of whether the means itself is bad, a true justification (Hooker, 2011). Whether bad or good, …show more content…

Still, questions have to be asked on the ethicality of using quite punitive measures and restrictive institutions. Even increased recidivism has not deterred criminality. There is an increasing belief that punishment does not work in the expected economical and ethical efficiency. Because of the mounting belief that punishment does not work, there is an increased call for its abolishment and the establishment of a social alternative. Those opposed to utilitarianism proposes restitution for crime victims and therapies for criminals. From the apparent inefficiency of the utilitarian approach to fighting crime, its critics assert that it is based on false beliefs (Hooker, 2011). They claim utilitarianism-based punishment is not only useless but also unjustifiable and cannot be …show more content…

More often than not, when a Utilitarian is asked the reason they take certain actions, the response is that it is her or his moral obligation to take actions and make decisions that result in less harm to society (Hooker, 2011). Examples of professionals that rely on utilitarian principles to make decisions are business analysts, legislators, and scientists. These people have to constantly monitor the advantages and disadvantages of their actions, as related to regulations, standards, or policies on investments, allocation of resources, and approval of drug or treatments regimes among other decisions (Hooker,

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