Consequentialist Theories of Ethics

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Consequentialist Theories of Ethics
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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

• 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?

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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
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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 everyones 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

• 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

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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