Douglas L. Kaye
LS312: Ethics and the Legal Environment
Unit 2
Prof. Craig
July 16th, 2013

John Stuart Mill developed a systematic statement of utilitarian ethical theory, which is another ethical theory based on the consequences of actions. The application of this theory involves performing the action that produces the best results for the greatest number of people. Utilitarianism can be further reduced into two sub-categories, act utilitarianism and rule utilitarianism. Followers of act utilitarianism think that in each ethical situation, an individual should perform the action that produces the best results for the majority of people. Rule utilitarianism requires people to construct and follow an established set of rules that should guarantee the best possible outcome for the majority of the people. Critics of both utilitarianism positions argue that it is extremely difficult to determine future consequences for other people. Another problem of utilitarianism is cost benefit analysis. Essentially, in the quest to please the majority, at what point do the minority’s interest become expendable? Assigning value to individuals in this manner, and using them as a means to an end may not always be considered moral behavior in some situations or circumstances (Kemerling, 2011).
In the Palm Beach Post this week was a news article titled, "Royal Palm Beach woman charged with opening fake account, stealing $6,000 from bank" which was about a 50-year-old woman, Anna Papa, of Royal Palm Beach, Florida, that was arrested on charges of grand theft and fraud, and was released after posting a $6,000 bond.
Papa opened a business account with the Wells Fargo Bank under the name “The Glass House Company, USA, Inc. Papa deposited three checks into the account from a TD Bank account. The checks were worth $4,100, $4,475, and $3,675. She withdrew $6,000 from the