Critical Response Essay

1. If Fred were a Utilitarian, what would he do?
Utilitarianism is a consequentialist theory where right and wrong depends on the consequences of one’s actions for everyone who might be affected by them. In other words, Utilitarian individuals want a system that will bring good to society than any other system. The philosophy of consequentialism is also based on the belief that the moral and ethical value of one’s action should be judged by the consequence of such action. In the case where Fred has signed a confidentiality agreement with Greyarea Inc. he is unable to leak out any information to the public about his research findings. If he were to tell anyone else that the cigarettes are more harmful, then the consequences of him being sued by the company due to a breach of the contract would be the repercussions.
This is not to say that if Fred did give out the information about the truth of their newly developed cigarettes, he would be right or wrong. In the case with his company, he will be considered doing wrong. If Fred were a Utilitarian he would want to bring good to the society as a whole by letting the public know that the cigarettes in production is actually more addictive and has a higher chance of developing cancer in smokers. He would disregard the repercussions that would affect his family and career even when he is financially secure. His moral beliefs would tell him that his actions are for the greater good and so much more important than himself and the circumstances he is in. 2. If Fred were a Deontologist (Kant), what would he do?
Deontology is the ethics of duty and is a non-consequentialist theory. The ethics of deontology is that people have an obligation and are bound to their duty. Kant believed that to act morally in the right way, people must act from duty. He also argued that it was not the consequences