5371232
Description
Mind Map by hollieowens, updated more than 1 year ago
|
Created by hollieowens
over 8 years ago
|
|
The General Principles Of
Utilitarianism
- Utilitarianism
- 1. Utilitarianism is a 19th Century
ethical theory, most often
attributed to Jeremy Bentham
and John Stuart Mill.
- 2. They adopted the principle the right actions are
those which produce the greatest total pleasure
for everyone affected by their consequences, and
wrong actions are those which do not.
- 3. Comes from the word 'utility' which
means 'usefulness'. How useful an
action is, is based on its end result.
- Utilitarianism, in particular
concerns itself with working out
how 'useful' an action is based
upon assessing its end result.
- Utilitarianism, in particular
concerns itself with working out
how 'useful' an action is based
upon assessing its end result.
- Utilitarian's argue that everyone should
do the thing that produces the most
'useful' end. They apply this by the
'Greatest Happiness Principle (GHP)'.
- 3. Comes from the word 'utility' which
means 'usefulness'. How useful an
action is, is based on its end result.
- Utilitarianism is the ethical theory that argues the
correct way of action is that derived from working
out what brings happiness to the greatest number.
- 2. They adopted the principle the right actions are
those which produce the greatest total pleasure
for everyone affected by their consequences, and
wrong actions are those which do not.
- 1. Utilitarianism is a 19th Century
ethical theory, most often
attributed to Jeremy Bentham
and John Stuart Mill.
- Greatest Happiness Principle
- 1. The Greatest Happiness Principle is
at the heart of a number of ethical
theories that fall under the umbrella
of 'Utilitarianism'.
- 2. The rightness of
wrongness of an action
is determined by its
'utility' of usefulness.
- 3. Usefulness refers to the
amount of pleasure or happiness
caused by the action.
- 3. Usefulness refers to the
amount of pleasure or happiness
caused by the action.
- 2. The rightness of
wrongness of an action
is determined by its
'utility' of usefulness.
- The Greatest Happiness Principle is the idea of
assessing which course of action is the best one to
take. We decide which course is the best one to take
because the most useful end is seen as that which
brings the maximum levels of 'happiness or pleasure'.
Therefore actions that produce the most happiness
are seen as the best course of action i.e. good moral
actions.
- 1. The Greatest Happiness Principle is
at the heart of a number of ethical
theories that fall under the umbrella
of 'Utilitarianism'.
- Deontological & Telelogical Thinking
- 1. In deontological ethics the rightness of
wrongness of an act is intrinsic to the act.
- 2. Teleological ethics is extrinsic to the act,
lying in the consequences of the action.
- 4. Teleological ethics focus on the
consequences/result which any action might have.
- 5. For that reason, they are often referred
to consequentialist moral systems.
- 6. Thus, in order to make correct moral choices,
we have to have some understanding of what
will result from our choices.
- 7. When we make choices which result in the correct consequences,
then we are acting morally; when we make choices which result in
the incorrect consequences, then we are acting immorally.
- 7. When we make choices which result in the correct consequences,
then we are acting morally; when we make choices which result in
the incorrect consequences, then we are acting immorally.
- 5. For that reason, they are often referred
to consequentialist moral systems.
- 4. Teleological ethics focus on the
consequences/result which any action might have.
- 3. The 10 commandments are an example
of a deontological approach.
- 2. Teleological ethics is extrinsic to the act,
lying in the consequences of the action.
- Utilitarianism is concerned about the outcome or end of an action it is a
teleological approach rather than a deontological approach,. For instance,
deontological ethical theories are concerned with the acts themselves
irrespective of the consequences of those acts. For example, a
deontologist might reason, to take away life is wrong irrespective if the
situation or consequences therefore euthanasia is wrong.
- Whereas teleological thinking considers the consequences of a particular action or the 'end' result, and it is
the assessment of this 'end' that determines whether or not the action is morally good. As it considers
consequences it is also known as 'consequential thinking;. In the of Utilitarianism, the theory holds that the
action that best results in 'the greatest happiness for the greatest number' is the right action.
- Whereas teleological thinking considers the consequences of a particular action or the 'end' result, and it is
the assessment of this 'end' that determines whether or not the action is morally good. As it considers
consequences it is also known as 'consequential thinking;. In the of Utilitarianism, the theory holds that the
action that best results in 'the greatest happiness for the greatest number' is the right action.
- 1. In deontological ethics the rightness of
wrongness of an act is intrinsic to the act.
- The Principle of Utility
- 1. The principle claims that we should choose the action
most likely to bring about the greatest happiness of the
greatest number.
- 2. Thus in one set of circumstances action 'A' may be the
most appropriate, whereas under other circumstances action
'B' might bring more happiness for more people.
- 3. No action, therefore, is judged solely on its own merits,
but must be judged in terms of its usefulness in any one
particular set of circumstances.
- 3. No action, therefore, is judged solely on its own merits,
but must be judged in terms of its usefulness in any one
particular set of circumstances.
- 2. Thus in one set of circumstances action 'A' may be the
most appropriate, whereas under other circumstances action
'B' might bring more happiness for more people.
- 1. The principle claims that we should choose the action
most likely to bring about the greatest happiness of the
greatest number.
Want to create your own Mind Maps for free with GoConqr? Learn more.