Theory Of Utilitarianism And Drinking Age

Utilitarianism is an ethical theory that focuses on outcomes and consequences. When one considers the theory of utilitarianism, it must be understood that the pleasure is a fundamental moral good and the aim is to maximize pleasure and minimize pain. So, when a human is going through the decision making process it is of the utmost importance to look forward at the consequences of the decision and determine if the decision will maximize pleasure and minimize pain. John Stuart Mill, a nineteenth century philosopher focused on the theory of utilitarianism or the Greatest Happiness Principle and claimed that the maximization of happiness for the greatest quantity of people is the ultimate goal. One issue that we face in modern day America that

In a case study presented by Logan Peterson, of Santa Clara University, the ethics behind the decision to lower the drinking age to eighteen is presented to the reader. On the campus of many universities, there is the issue of underage binge-drinking. According to the article, binge-drinking accounts for ninety percent of alcohol consumed youth under twenty-one. (Peterson) This is an extremely concerning statistic because drinking can lead to risky behavior like unsafe sex, sexual assault, and unintentional injuries due to intoxication. Therefore, as a result, school like Dartmouth have banned liquor from campus. The culture on college campuses promotes drinking and heavy drinking more than ever before and some look to blame the drinking age as the reason why. In the case study, Peterson discusses how in Spain the drinking age is eighteen and their culture there varies greatly from the United States. Since, teens can drink with their parents, in their homes at a younger age, they have time to learn to drink responsibly before going off on their own. However, in the United States, many teens must wait until they have freedom from their parents to take part in drinking. This unfamiliarity and newfound freedom promotes heavy drinking and partying. But there is another side to the argument, if the drinking age is lowered to eighteen it puts a great number of

Individuals must make sacrifices for greater happiness. Waiting to drink for three more years could be considered a sacrifice. But that sacrifice can be considered a noble on in the eyes of Mill and utilitarian’s because it promotes pleasure and happiness for the greater good. A sacrifice is not truly considered a sacrifice unless it is for the good of others and waiting to drink until the age of twenty-one and being a responsible member of society who does not take part in underage binge-drinking is a sacrifice that utilitarian’s would be supportive of. Making this sacrifice would keep many young adults out of trouble and would also keep those around them safer. In high school, it is easy to succumb peer pressure and if drinking is legal and involved high schoolers could make impulsive decisions that could be harmful to themselves or their peers. Therefore, it is in the best interest of the population to make a sacrifice and put off the drinking age to twenty-one so teens can develop fully without the pressures of