Utilitarianism and virtue ethics both direct an individual’s moral decisions, but neither theory is perfect. Whilst utilitarianism focuses more on the consequences of our actions, virtue ethics focuses on the character of the person. In this essay, I will elaborate more on the core concepts of both utilitarianism and virtue ethics. Then, I will introduce a scenario that will be used to compare the two ethical frameworks side by side based on their suggestions. Finally, I will argue that between virtue
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Utilitarianism presents itself everyday when someone decides what is the greatest good for the greatest number of people. For example, my dad wakes me up in the morning to ask what I want for breakfast, I answer with eggs. He asks the same question to my mom and sister. They both want pancakes. When he decided to cook pancakes instead of the eggs he is making the decision based on the amount of people it benefits. At school decisions are made all the time, for instance this February the sophomore
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block. His design never really caught on in Europe, several prototype prisons were built, but only in America were any panopticon like prisons built. He was an advocate for prisoners’ rights, their education and health. Bentham defined the term “utilitarianism” meaning that everything should try to get “the greatest happiness of the greatest number”. He brought about change in British law trying to composing more humane, and compassionate prison laws. His views, though compassionate, often dealt with
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Unfortunately, I am not able to agree fully with both Hardin and Singer’s moral basis; my independent thought was not fully convinced by either writer. Therefore, I will attempt to rationalize my questionable judgement by comparing both writers’ flaws, as well as addressing their fair points. Singer’s Solution to World Poverty Hypothetical Scenario “The Singer Solution to World Poverty” consists primarily of hypothetical situations, two to be exact. The first is based on a Brazilian film, Central
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The concept of utilitarianism was founded by Jeremy Bentham, and is a moral theory that emphasizes that the morally right action will produce the most good. This theory is considered to be another form of consequentialism. In laments terms, the determination of whether an act is right or wrong is based upon the effect it will result in. Another concept that is correlated with utilitarianism includes ruling utilitarianism. Both theories try to maximize happiness, and there is not one answer that
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Peter Singer provides an argument by analogy by using Bob and his precious Bugatti. This argument by analogy starts when Bob decides to park on the railroad tracks and gets out of his car. Bob, then notices a boy playing in the distance on the other side of the tracks. Suddenly, Bob notices a train headed straight for the child on the tracks. Bob has the opportunity to save the child’s life by pulling the lever that would send the train down the other side of the tracks leading to his precious Bugatti
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Harris proposes an experiment called the survival lottery, in which individuals are assigned numbers and would be drawn out of a lottery when an organ donation is needed. The people would be killed to donate their organs to save two or more people who need the donations. He argues that killing a healthy person would be the same as allowing someone who needs an organ donation but cannot receive one to die, therefore killing one healthy person to save two or more people would maximize happiness. (Harris
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In Martin Luther King Jr.’s “Letter from Birmingham Jail”, King uses various rhetorical devices in order to make his argument that much more effective against that of the white supremacists. It is clear to me that his most effective use of a rhetorical device would have to be one of the logos, or logical appeal, variety, in which he states, “If I sought to answer all the criticisms that cross my desk, my secretaries would have little time for anything other than such correspondence in the course
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After reading Kant’s paper, “Kant and The Categorical Imperative.” I had to read it a couple times to fully understand the point Kant was trying to make, but overall I enjoyed his paper and thought he made some interesting points about moral rules and moral obligations. However, regarding the “Case of the Inquiring Murderer,” I believe a utilitarian would lie to the murderer to protect the victim. I think a utilitarian would lie because the utilitarian focuses on the consequences or the goals of
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Explain Bentham’s principle of Utility. Utilitarianism states that something is morally right if it produces pleasure and it’s morally wrong if it produce pain. The principle of Utility refers to the greatest amount of pleasure or happiness for the greatest number of people. The principle of Utility was put forward by Jeremy Bentham (1748- 1832) an English philosopher. His principle stated ‘the greatest happiness for the greatest number.’ Bentham stated that human being is governed by two
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