Transcript Conseqenrialist Theories

Consequentialist
Theories of Ethics
Do Consequences make an action right?
Many ethicists have argued that we should
decide moral right and wrong by looking at the
consequences of our actions
 If the consequences are good, the act is right
 If the consequences are bad, the act is wrong
Consequentialist theory- measures the morality of
an action by its non-moral consequences
They consider the ratio of good to evil that an
action produces
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Consequentialist Theory
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Example of the
Consequentialist theory at
work: a car accident in a
deserted area where there are
no witnesses
In evaluating the non-moral
consequences of an action,
whom do consequentialists
have in mind?
If you evaluate the
consequences for yourself,
your judgement will be
different than if you evaluate
the consequences for others
Should we consider the effects
on the people involved?
Egoism
Ethical egoism: in deciding
the morality of an action,
we should consider the
consequences for only
ourselves
 We act morally when we act
in a way that promotes our
own best long term interests
 What exactly do egoists
mean by “self-interest”?
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Ethical Egoism Cartoon
Hedonism
Hedonism- the ethical
philosophy which holds
that only pleasure is
worth having for its own
sake; pleasure has
intrinsic value Ex.
Epicurus
 An egoist is not
necessarily a hedonist
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Objections to Egoism
Conflicting interests
 Inconsistency to moral counsel
 Undermines the moral point of view (impartial
attitude of one who tries to see all sides of an
issue)
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Utilitarianism
Utilitarianism-asserts that
the standard of morality is
the promotion of everyone’s
best interests
 We act morally when our
actions produce the greatest
possible ratio of good to
evil for all concerned
 Only pleasure and happiness
have intrinsic value
 Jeremy Bentham John Stuart
Mill
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Act Utilitarianism
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Act Utilitarianism- claims that we should act so as to
produce the greatest happiness for the most people
through the most pleasure and least pain than any other
course of action
Rule Utilitarianism
Rule Utilitarianism- means that we should act so
that the rules governing our actions produce the
greatest happiness for the most people
 Ex. Courts and judges should operate with the
rule “We should never punish people for
something they did not do”
 Problem-how do you promote one rule over
another?
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Implications of Utilitarianism
Richard Taylor and other act Utilitarians
argue that all forms for sexual activity,
including incest, homosexuality and
adultery produce more pleasure than pain,
they are morally permissible
 Rule Utilitarians argue that moral rules
prohibiting adultery, divorce and incest will
produce more pleasure than pain than
other rules
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