Jeremy Botham ( 1748-1832 ), a British philosopher and thinker, propounded the utilitarian theory to combine legal reforms, social improvements, and political change . the "golden rule", the 10 commandments, or laws against murder). In order to create a better understanding of the theory and its application, this paper explores five cases. Utilitarianism is a species of consequentialism, the general doctrine in ethics that actions (or types of action) should be evaluated on the basis of their consequences. Also discover topics, titles, outlines, thesis statements, and conclusions for your utilitarian essay. An Introduction to the Principles of Morals and Legislation, New York: Dover Publications, 2007. Example: "An eye for an eye"; sets a limit Just Desserts (the "justice" model) A Non-Utilitarian (moral) justification. Consequently, the franchise has gained enormous influence in the market place, thus controlling up to thirty percent of the household market staples. It contains thousands of paper examples on a wide variety of topics, all donated by helpful students. But few would consider it an acceptable course of action, let alone an ethical one. Question 16 Which of the following in not an example of utilitarian reasoning? Calculating Consequences:The Utilitarian Approach to Ethics. In ethical philosophy, utilitarianism is a family of normative ethical theories that prescribe actions that maximize happiness and well-being for all affected individuals.. Mill, sentimentalism, and the problem of moral authority. Utilitas 21.1 (2009): 22-35. During the initial stages of the companys operation, the company bought contaminated blood from alcoholics and drug addicts as only a few people in the country were willing to exchange their blood for money. There are three kinds of ethical principle theories. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. ABC Company has had trouble filling that position for quite some time, and it was an important one, so now the company can get a better handle on crucial business decisions. For instance, local businesses in most areas in the US consider the franchise a threat for its affordable prices attract customers previously loyal to such local businesses, thus running them out of business. This chapter examines a utilitarian approach to distributive justice in health care, according to which the goal of a just health care system ought to . By actually weighing the benefits against the risks, one can determine whether or not an action is overall good or evil. Utilitarianism is an ethical school of thought that advocates that only those economic, social, and political actions are morally correct and whose outcome makes everyone happy. A moralist, he maintained, could sum up the units of pleasure and the units of pain for everyone likely to be affected, immediately and in the future, and could take the balance as a measure of the overall good or evil tendency of an action. (64) I just don't see any justification for an air of mystery here. John Stuart Mill was an influential 19th-century British philosopher, political economist, and author of the leading economics textbook for 40 years. It seeks to produce the greatest level of happiness for the greatest number of people. (Results Page 3) View and download utilitarian essays examples. Application of the theory to the situation in this case will depend on the desired outcome as well as the company rules. Using the example applied above, the burning of the house would only be right and moral if a majority of the people living in the area surrounding the house were okay with the action. At the time, Al Smetana was skeptical about the allegation, but later he decided to call Lindsey in his office and make inquiries. Political Economy Definition, History, and Applications, Natural Law Theory Explained With Examples in Business, Business Ethics: Definition, Principles, Why They're Important, Social Science: What It Is and the 5 Major Branches. Perceptions of right and wrong depend both on individual and societal perspectives of morality often for the good of the individual analyzing the same. When directed toward making social, economic, or political decisions, a utilitarian philosophy would aim for the betterment of society as a whole. Bentham, Jeremy. The definition of justification is something that proves, explains or supports. However, accepting opinion that morality must be upheld regardless of the consequences, can be a recipe for disaster. The theory asserts that there are two types of utilitarian ethics practiced in the business world, "rule" utilitarianism and "act" utilitarianism. Because its ideology argues for the greatest good for the greatest number, a business acting in a utilitarian fashion should increase the welfare of others. Utilitarianism Examples in the Twentieth Century. There is a great deal of confusion about precisely what it is to be a retributivist. So we can act in whatever way we choosewe can be generous or miserly, honest or dishonestbut whatever we do, to get the utilitarian's approval, the result should be more people happier. Example of Rule Utilitarian Think of a situation of a man and his pregnant girlfriend driving down the street. When used in a sociopolitical construct, utilitarian ethics aims for the betterment of society as a whole. Examples of Utilitarianism in Business: Utilitarianism Case Study. The Asset Representations Reviewer will ensure that these systems allow for each Review Receivable and the related Review Materials to be individually tracked and stored as contemplated by this Agreement. He asked the CEO for help, but Smetana said he needed time to think about the matter. Therefore, testifying on the matter is his obligation in his capacity as an engineer to protect public interests. Mutambaras falsification of receipts was wrong according to the theory as it affected the entire company and its reputation negatively. Some rules that restrict individual autonomy can be justified on the grounds that they help to maximize the overall balance of benefits over risks in research. (9) It's a utilitarian article, that's why. IvyPanda. Those that are retributive emphasize past actions in consideration of the consequence that much must be paid. In the event that additional classes are identified as needing either prescription safety glasses or protective eyewear, such classes may be added to the classification list in Appendix C upon approval of PAGE and the City. Utilitarianism is like hedonism in that it has the importance of happiness for all humans as its core belief. On the evening of liftoff, Boisjoly and his fellow engineers advised their employers, but Thoikol and NASA declined to act. Utilitarianism is a theory of morality that advocates actions that foster happiness and oppose actions that cause unhappiness. Classical utilitarianism is based on the belief that the ideas of right and wrong were not meant for the individual, but instead to guide the individual on how to behave for the good of mankind. Therefore, utilitarianism provides a base regarding consideration and analysis of what qualifies as moral in terms of actions and decisions, especially with reference to government officials, civil servants, and other key figures in society (Bentham 12). According to the Rule-utilitarianism, the action which means that follow the rules that general acceptance and produce the greatest balance of happiness is right. . Safety Glasses Section 1. We add a further argument for a moral . Discussion and application: The ethical issues that arise in this scenario is whether it is right for the company to expand without considering the local businesses in the areas of operation and whether the company has moral justification to alter market dynamics and force suppliers to lower prices in order to attract customers to its stores. This does not make Ryans actions genuine. It asserts that even if the natural law argument can be challenged, it is still the case that without the monetary incentives which come with the monopoly rights from intellectual property, rational agents . Various arguments exist questioning if an abortion is morally justifiable. Being good means working to increase the number of people in the world who are happy. In the workplace, though, utilitarian ethics are difficult to achieve. Mill, in contrast to Bentham, discerned differences in the quality of pleasures that make some intrinsically preferable to others independently of intensity and duration (the quantitative dimensions recognized by Bentham). Ryan does this, not out of his love for his family, but because he believes he can be a good example for others to follow, which will improve society at large. Callcut, Daniel. Moreover, utilitarianism is the most common approach to business ethics because of the way that it accounts for costs and benefits. Electrical appliance safety The Hirer shall ensure that any electrical appliances brought by them to the premises and used there shall be safe, in good working order, and used in a safe manner in accordance with the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989. For Bentham, the principle of utility is the ground of all moral actions. This means striving for pleasure and happiness while avoiding discomfort or unhappiness. Moral Dilemma: Barking Dog and Neighborhood, Utilitarian Analysis and Stakeholder Analysis, Relationship Between Ethics and Religion Essay. After three years in the company, his employer offered him the opportunity to return to his home of birth where he was working. When the concept is applied to the way others should conduct themselves, the capability of discovering ones own potential, respecting everyone as a whole, and not interfering with the things that others want, it doesnt sound so bad. Aldo Leopold's- A Sand Country Almanac (1949) All resources (plants, animals/ earth materials) have right to exist Therefore, Boisjolys decision ought to be one that gives the greatest felicity for the greatest number. Print. An example of act utilitarianism could be when pharmaceutical companies release drugs that have been governmentally approved, but with known minor side effects because the drug is able to help more people than are bothered by the side effects. During the meeting, Lindsey accepted the allegations amid tears and stated that he was addicted to it and he was trying to stop. One very good example is the airlines industry. Utilitarians also assume that it is possible to compare the intrinsic values produced by two alternative actions and to estimate which would have better consequences. A limitation of utilitarianism is that it tends to create a black-and-white construct of morality. Act Ethics: Focuses on good results that may come from rules of conduct. And the airline benefits, too. Mill's utilitarian justification of secondary principles is intended as a contrast with the intuitionism of William Whewell and others. What one person may need in one situation, another person may not. Not only does the person have to concern himself with doing what is best for the well-being of himself and those close to him, but he also has to consider how his actions will affect the entire world. In addition, application of the utilitarian theory reveals that the low wages to employees is wrong as the employees form a greater number as compared to the management of the company and the decision does not apply to the reduction of suffering concept for the majority, viz. Utilitarian arguments for justification. In addition, we will give voiceto some majorobjectionsto the utilitarian theory. Where a residual circuit breaker is provided the hirer must make use of it in the interests of public safety. Utilitarian justification. The company made deals with local chiefs for purchase of blood from people in the villages. However, the impact of his decision would affect the public in terms of loss of more lives if the shuttle launched later without proper checks. In addition, he reasoned that utilitarianism could solve the difficulties and perplexities that arise from the vagueness and inconsistencies of commonsense doctrines. Put another way, morality is defined by actions that produce the right kinds of consequences in the end. The contractions are close at about 2 minutes apart. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Finance degree from Bridgewater State University and has worked on print content for business owners, national brands, and major publications. The third premise that the theory propagates is the perception that actions and decisions should increase happiness and reduce suffering for the greatest number of people. From Wikipedia These examples are from corpora and from sources on the web. Therefore, choosing what is best for himself would mean keeping the information secret in order to retain his job. He also argued that wherever he chose to live was his choice and that he did it to support his kin back home. Callicott (1980), for example, argues that the holistic ethic he endorses is superior to the sentientist ethics of utilitarianism because the practitioners of the latter ethic would be prohibited from culling deer to protect an indirect, impersonal dilemma without a utilitarian justification.) So, although utilitarianism is surely a reason-based approach to determining right and wrong, it has obvious limitations. We've updated our Privacy Policy, which will go in to effect on September 1, 2022. Bentham and Mill were both important theorists and social reformers. The area in which he grew was a slum. The justification for the British system is that blood is something that can dictate whether a person lives or dies. Consequentialism is a doctrine that states that an action can only be moral if the consequences it creates are moral, too. The belief that amorally good action is one that helps, or makes happy, the greatest number of people. Our first theoretical foray into punishmentis the utilitarian perspective. Investopedia requires writers to use primary sources to support their work. On the other hand, Mutambara grew up in Rambia, hence his pride in the place. Eric is a duly licensed Independent Insurance Broker licensed in Life, Health, Property, and Casualty insurance. Ecological Justification: An ecosystem that is necessary needed for the survival of some species that interest us, or that the system provides itself some benefit. Most opponents of utilitarianism have held that it has implications contrary to their moral intuitionsthat considerations of utility, for example, might sometimes sanction the breaking of a promise. Utilitarianism also cannot predict with certainty whether the consequences of our actions will be good or badthe results of our actions happen in the future. Tiered pricing. Quantitative utilitarianism argues that mental pleasures and pains differ from physical ones only in terms of quantity. A business will charge wealthier customers more and poorer customers less for a product. of Ethics. In the notion of consequences the utilitarian includes all of the good and bad produced by the action, whether arising after the action has been performed or during its performance. The company thus has a high employee turnover of 44%. John Stuart mill, also a proponent of the theory, contributes to the discussion through his observation that the theory is result-oriented coupled with supporting Benthams opinion on the matter (Mill and Bentham 34). The 3 Generally Accepted Principles of Utilitarianism State That, Utilitarianism's Relevance in a Political Economy, Quantitative Utilitarism vs. Qualitative Utilitarism. An example of this can once again be found in the nobleman who experiences happiness through self-sacrifice. Moral Justification - conservation of nature is important because aspects/ elements of the environment have a right to exist, independent of human desires; it's a moral obligation to allow them to continue to persist. As noted, PR liberals claim that justice demands unanimous justification: a just political regime is justified from the The company also uses its influence to dictate which products to stock on its shelves. Utilitarianism is a reason-based approach to determining right and wrong, but it has limitations. On this reading of the proof, Mill derives utilitarianism from two assumptionsthat the moral point of view is impartial and that happiness is what matters when we care about someone for her own sake. John Stuart Mill. Generally, there are three ways in which morality can be defined. Consumers also benefit heavily from the low prices that the company sets for most products. Review Systems; Personnel It will maintain business process management and/or other systems necessary to ensure that it can perform each Test and, on execution of this Agreement, will load each Test into these systems. One of today's leading retributivists himself does not think "retribution" is a helpful term: Andrew von Hirsch notes that the O.E.D.definition of "retribution" as "return of evil" and the declaration in the 1972 Model Sentencing Act that "sentencing should . Bentham and Mill were hedonists; i.e, they analyzed happiness as a balance of pleasure over pain and believed that these feelings alone are of intrinsic value and disvalue. How is justice accommodated? Another objection, often posed against the hedonistic value theory held by Bentham, holds that the value of life is more than a balance of pleasure over pain. Although different varieties of utilitarianism admit different characterizations, the basic idea behind all of them is, in some sense, to maximize utility, which is often defined in terms of well-being or related concepts. Get a Britannica Premium subscription and gain access to exclusive content. Steiner, Philippe. Utilitarian Justification are those that assign value to the environment as a function of its economic or survival benefits for humans Ecological Justifications Emphasize the value of community life support functions over direct individual benefits based on self interest Aesthetic Justifications based on human appreciation of natural beauty The utilitarian theory, introduced by Jeremy Bentham, was a lot different from the retributivist theory (Dubber & Kelman, 2009; Banks, 2009). Utilitarian Justification: Seeing that the aspect of the environment as valuable because it benefits people either economically or is necessary for human survival. In addition, the reason for most the common moral rules can be explained by the principle of utility. Utilitarianism holds that an action is right if it tends to promote happiness and wrong if it tends to produce sadness, or the reverse of happinessnot just the happiness of the actor but that of everyone affected by it. He stated that it would be unreasonable for him to live in a mansion while his kin did not have enough food to eat. This aspect has created a situation where some companies miss sales and profits while others get an unfair advantage. The application of the utilitarian theory to the case reveals that the determination of the morality of such actions depends on the group of people forming the majority at a given time. Among those who focus on outcomes, the utilitarians' distinguishing belief is that we should pursue the greatest good for the greatest number. J.H Burns and HLA Hart, 1970. The offender deserves to suffer in proportion to the seriousness of the offense. Manifest preferences are those preferences born from the behavior the individual observes, and can therefore be faulty. 484 utilitarian justification essay examples from professional writing company EliteEssayWriters.com. The concept of morality is entirely abstract. Utilitarianism holds that the most ethical choice is the one that will produce the greatest good for the greatest number. Those classifications are ideal utilitarianism, act and rule utilitarianism, two-level utilitarianism, and preference utilitarianism. Closure of consumer-based businesses in such local communities often leads to loss of jobs, thus creating a monopoly while stifling the economy due to tax considerations that Wal-Mart stores get in most areas. Suzanne is a researcher, writer, and fact-checker. Quantitative utilitarianism is a branch of utilitarianism that was developed out of the work of Jeremy Bentham. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. Cookies collect information about your preferences and your devices and are used to make the site work as you expect it to, to understand how you interact with the site, and to show advertisements that are targeted to your interests. We utilize security vendors that protect and The commonly accepted advantages of utilitarianism include (Mulgan 23-24): Comprehensible principles and clear guidelines for behavior. Utilitarianism is a tradition of ethical philosophy that is associated with Jeremy Bentham (1747-1832) and John Stuart Mill (1806-1873), two late 18th- and 19th-century British philosophers, economists, and political thinkers. According to Benthams conceptualization of the theory, Boisjolys decision is a personal decision that mainly affects him in terms of retention of employment. Jeremy Bentham describes his "greatest happiness principle" inIntroduction to the Principles of Morals and Legislation,a 1789 publication in which he writes: "Nature has placed mankind under the governance of two sovereign masters, pain and pleasure. Instead, utilitarians think that what makes a morality be true or justifiable is its positive contribution to human (and perhaps non-human) beings. Over the years, the principle of utilitarianism has been expanded and refined so that today there are many variations of the principle. Most comprehensive library of legal defined terms on your mobile device, All contents of the lawinsider.com excluding publicly sourced documents are Copyright 2013-, Information Technology Enterprise Architecture Requirements, Availability of Verizon Telecommunications Services, Presence through Communications Equipment. Case Summary: This case regards the 1986 detonation of the space shuttle, Challenger, whereby seven astronauts died. Natural law is a theory of ethics that says that human beings possess intrinsic values that govern their reasoning and behavior. If a consumer buys something only for its practical use-value, in a calculative and rational evaluation, then it is of utilitarian value. Utilitarian Justifications for Punishment. Customer will appoint one Product administrator and one backup administrator to serve as the primary point of contact regarding maintenance services. Therefore, it is also possible that the company does not break any legal rules while conducting business, thus making its decisions rightful, hence moral. All employees who are required to wear safety glasses shall also be required to wear side xxxxxxx, either permanent or snap-on, whenever an eye hazard exists. For instance, if customers form the majority, the actions are moral as they generate the greatest happiness and least suffering to consumers. In order to lower the crime rate, the suffering of the offender must be counterbalanced by the prevention of future pain to individuals (Cavadino and Dignan, 2007). An example of this would be getting an abortion. Carla Tardi is a technical editor and digital content producer with 25+ years of experience at top-tier investment banks and money-management firms. Photogray, progressive, scratch coating and/or anti-glare lenses may be considered for those employees who primarily work outdoors or as prescribed. IvyPanda, 31 July 2022, ivypanda.com/essays/utilitarianism-theory-case-study/. Social science is a group of academic disciplines that examine human behavior and includes anthropology, economics, psychology, and sociology. The analysis of 'rightness' and 'wrongness' of a decision or action often depends on the values that each society holds dear (Callcut 24). We will write a custom Case Study on Examples of Utilitarianism in Business: Utilitarianism Case Study specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page. Utilitarians today describe benefits and harms in terms of the satisfaction of personal preferences or in purely economic terms of monetary benefits over monetary costs, rather than in terms of "happiness" and "pleasure". This would arguably produce the greatest good for the greatest number. Utility, in this context refers to the well-being of people and other sentient beings. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). Qualitative utilitarians categorize pleasures and pains in a more qualitative manner, depending on the level of their consequences, and disregarding any quantifiable proof of their importance. He observed that in the United States, the blood used for transfusions mostly comes from donation from well-wishers. However, in practice, utilitarianism can lead to greed and dog-eat-dog competition that can undermine the social good. It is for them alone to point out what we ought to do, as well as to determine what we shall do.". These include white papers, government data, original reporting, and interviews with industry experts. This assertion means that the majority of people in any society or setting in which the actions or decisions take place must be in agreement with the same (Ferrell et al. Unless specified in an Order, Customer should contact 000.000.0000 to receive a telephone number for the applicable supporting Solutions & Support Center. In contrast, act utilitarian's judge actions in terms of the goodness of their consequences without reference to rules of action. This case study on Examples of Utilitarianism in Business: Utilitarianism Case Study was written and submitted by your fellow He considered this scenario as an opportunity for a profitable business, and thus together with some colleagues, they formed Plasma International. The explosion occurred due to low temperatures that caused the shuttles O-rings not to seal its joints properly, thus leading to an explosion. Ethical Justification. https://ivypanda.com/essays/utilitarianism-theory-case-study/, IvyPanda. Utilitarianism and other essays, London: Penguin Books, 2004. The novel Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoyevsky explores mid-nineteenth century utilitarianism as a motivation of characters' actions, while demonstrating his own perspective on the philosophy. Even in limiting the recognition of intrinsic value and disvalue to happiness and unhappiness, some philosophers have argued that those feelings cannot adequately be further broken down into terms of pleasure and pain and have thus preferred to defend the theory in terms of maximizing happiness and minimizing unhappiness. Much of the defense of utilitarian ethics has consisted in answering these objections, either by showing that utilitarianism does not have the implications that its opponents claim it has or by arguing against the opponents moral intuitions. According to him, absolute morality is impracticable as a vast majority of people hold conflicting views on what qualifies as right and what qualifies as wrong. Case Summary: Al Smetana, the CEO of Rayburn Unlimited Company, has built the company on foundations of honesty, integrity, and acknowledging the values that every individual at the company possesses. Utilitarianism is built on the idea that every action holds some good within it, and that the level of happiness that an action can provide to a person is the difference between how much pleasure it causes and how much pain it causes. (8) That's a utilitarian moral framework. Bentham stated that human being is governed by two sovereign masters: pain and pleasure. When he himself took the final version of the test, he scored a 61 out of 63or, "You might be Peter Singer .
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