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Mill's Utilitarianism

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There were two prominent ideas from the Sandel text that applied to the ethical issue I chose to examine. John Stuart Mill had two theories about Utilitarianism and the valuing of life in regards to harm and autonomy. Secondly, was Kant’s determination of the moral valuing of life. Mill, a Utilitarian, discussed the notion of justice and that all people are cognoscente beings and, as such, are entitled to self-defense. Mill’s assertions are important because he determines that everyone has a right to act of their own volition, provided that they do not harm others. Although Immanuel Kant rejects Utilitarianism, his insights are relevant to the issue of ethics in terms of protecting an individual’s rights. Kant fundamentally believes that human …show more content…

In Mill’s context, the rights of those hurt by language should be upheld because they constitute a large amount of the population in terms of suffering. Kant believes that we should protect an individual’s rights because we are all rational beings who are valued intrinsically (Sandel, p. 104). Kant is concerned with the idea of freedom and how we value things. He believes that because we have the capacity of free will, then we shouldn’t be used in an object manner. This alludes to the notion that as beings designated personhood, we have dignity and self-worth that is intrinsic (Sandel, p. 98). Therefore, for Kant, it is tantamount that people are inherently valued, and that values can determine the validity of an act. Thus, the use of derogatory, exclusionary, binary, and phallocentric language is a manifestation of valuing people incorrectly and negating their dignity. It is the morally correct way to value a person when the intentions are authentic. As people who have dignity and view and define ourselves are moral, we must stop using these forms of language simply because it doesn’t respect the dignity of others. Although Kant and Mill are drastically different in their approaches, I believe, based on some of their core arguments that they would interpret society as having an ethical obligation to restructure the vernacular used in regards to

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It is fathomable that it is an exceedingly difficult position to face and the decision the judge came up was equally challenging, however, there must be an alternative resolution. Whether we look to deontological the inquiry ethics and ethical decisions based on an emerging behavior the manner on this court case shed light on what is deemed “right” or the other hand who is honestly worth protecting. I have to irradiate that Immanuel Kant the German philosopher statement applies in this court case, “that all consequentialist theories missed something crucial to ethics by neglecting the concept of

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His argument is based on ethical theories in which he established what is right and wrong in the society. According to Mill, justice involves being law abiding and one should consider his or herself as a morally responsible person. In addition, a person should be able to face a penalty for committing acts which are not justified. Many people therefore will agree to be punished for committing wrong. However, in some circumstances a person may end up doing wrong due to lack of another alternative.

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Introduction Each generation has gone through struggles that would later come to define them. In the fifties there was WWII, sixties there was the Vietnam Conflict, eighties there was the Cold War and today there is the War on Terror. These conflict shaped justice, morality and culture. Spurring evolution in all aspects of life including but not limited to fashion, law, music and cinema. These evolving aspects of culture were often transgressive and therefor created unique and novel challenges for each individual existing within.

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When we consider Kant, it appears to be evident that almost all who are acquainted with his compositions recall the single word "obligation”. On the case of Mill, we often relate his works to that of “utility”. Both of these philosophers debate on whether our moral code is subjective or objective and what we ought to do in situations that lead us into a two-way path. What if this path has us caught between lying to a murderer or allowing them into our homes only for the reason of homicide? In the “Murderer at the Door” thought experiment, we are caught between Kant and Mill, our two-way path, and deciding whether it would be morally right to invite the murderer in the house or lie to save the life of the victim.

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Given that the parent has the complete right to decide for their newborns (since newborns are not capable of making the decision for themselves), should that individual be allowed to not vaccinate their newborns? Mill would most likely respond that the individual is free to not vaccinate their child unless it harms other people. Before we ultimately discern Mill’s position on whether society has authority over the individual’s decision in this case of vaccination, we must explain why there are anti-vaccination groups prevalent in societies today. The main issue anti-vaccination groups have with vaccines is that anti-vaccination groups believe that the substance called thimerosal, which is found in trace amounts, contributes to the development

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While it may seem difficult or tedious to donate one’s time or money to a charity, shelter, or soup kitchen, Mill agrees that the discomfort of a few noble individuals is still to the benefit of society as a whole because what truly matters is adding to the total amount of happiness. On this , Mill writes, “Utilitarianism, therefore, could attain its end by the general cultivation of nobleness of character, even if each individual were only benefited by the nobleness of others, and his own, so far as happiness is concerned, were a sheer deduction from the benefit,” (page 11).  Mill believes that those that renounce their own happiness for the increase in happiness of society as a whole are honorable, this is shown in this quote, “That the happiness which forms the Utilitarian standard of what is right in conduct is not the agent’s own happiness but that of all concerned” (page 17). The key ideal in Utilitarian morality is similar to the humanity principle in which one should treat others the way they would want to be treated. Other Utilitarian philosophers hold a

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Validity of a system is understood by fact. This can be best demonstrated through a mathematical example. If a math teacher and I are discussing an equation or a problem and they discern that the best way to solve this equation or problem is through a unfactual means of solving the problem, then they are wrong. Facts are what validate something and so John Stuart Mill uses facts to prove that Utilitarianism is a valid system. However, every idea will have a hole in it’s explanation and there are arguments in philosophy that can call for “what if” cases but in general Mill proves this validity in a simplistic manner.

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The ethical theory of Utilitarianism provides a vague description of determining right actions from wrong actions as well as justification for why the particular actions are right, or wrong to begin with (Mill, 2008). Mills characteristics of Utilitarianism yields the greatest good for the greatest number, living not only by the general rule and what is expected. It reflects that doing the greatest good, in the long run, will have a more positive effect on individuals and give them a sense of respect. Inflicting excruciating pain on an animal is a characteristic that will not go over well with a member of an animal activist group; it is not displaying right for pleasure, but instead pain.

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Two of the most well respected philosophers of their time Kant and Mill share their views as different as they might be. Kant’s basis is categorical imperative. In the writings of Grounding for the Metaphysics of morals it is described as “act only according to the maxim whereby you can… will that it should become a universal law” (Kant, 30). The other main point that Kant makes in his agreement is that we should not treat people as means but as ends themselves (36). Mill has a different stance, he states his principle in Utilitarianism “Greatest Happiness Principle”.

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We can characterize morals is a situated of good rule, that aides the implicit rules and conduct of a single person too gathering or association, in the reason of individual and expert life and in the public eye (Sanjeev & Khanna 2008, p.57). As such morals is identified with each part of our life. It is the situated of the directing standard for doing the right things. Morals all hands on deck are paramount on the grounds that there is much confirmation to demonstrate that unscrupulous conduct can cost an association, its brand and notoriety, falling influence it on its impart value and bring down the business benefits (Gustafson 2013). There are a few models and hypotheses accessible on morals, yet for this paper I have chosen Utilitarian

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Morals may be an examination for ethical quality, originates from the out of date "ethos" significance custom or inclination. It might be an examination for speculations concerning the thing that may awesome and severe dislike on humankind's immediate. There is no particular arranged from guaranteeing laws portraying the thing that may moral and the thing that may be not, in perspective there may be no straight on the other hand terrible reaction. Those second feeling about morals talk of "codes of morals", which would an arrangement of principles serve as bearing with individuals, every now and again to fields from guaranteeing callings for instance, such that advantages of the business or remedial. Moral differentiations for untrustworthy

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Two noteworthy morals hypotheses struggle to regulate and legitimize “ethical guidelines and standards”, “utilitarianism and deontological standards.” “Utilitarianism” is an honest interpretation produced and sophisticated in the cutting edge domain in the works of “Jeremy Bentham” and “John Stuart Mill.” Nearby a few assortments of “utilitarianism”. In any circumstance, fundamentally, a “utilitarian” method to contract with profound superiority infers that no ethical protest or rule characteristically right or off-base. As designated by “utilitarianism”, penetrating excellence includes the no sound outstanding produced those consequences from strong happenings and principles, and proper responsibility is contributory, not natural.

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I hope to convince the reader that Kant’s Categorical Imperative is the better way to live a morally conscious life and more practical to follow as well. First I will briefly describe both Kant’s and Mill’s principles. Then I will go on to explain the advantages and disadvantages of both. Finally, I hope to provide a counterargument for some of Kant’s Categorical Imperatives downfalls. Kant states the Categorical Imperative as: "Act as if the maxim of your action were to become through your will and general natural law."

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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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These principles are always applied to ensure that the “least advantaged” are not forgotten.4 Sandel on the other hand presents his ideas with real life dilemmas and introduces three major schools of thought about justice: the utilitarianism of Bentham and Mill; the deontological, rights-based theories of Kant and Rawls and; the theological ethics of Aristotle. Sandel promotes his principles of justice in his book by demonstrating the inadequacies of the first two principles so that we are led to prefer the third. He gave the least consideration to Bentham’s utilitarianism and rejects any

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