Utilitarianism:Kant, Mill, Bentham
If life were one big dartboard, with happiness the bulls-eye, then morality would be the feathers on the dart that we shoot. This analogy, if it were known in the 1700's and 1800's, would not only have spared Bentham and Mill a lot of time, but spared the world a lot of trees. For them, happiness in life is only a dart throw away.....Hit the bulls-eye, you win.....Let's play again..... "But enough of metaphor and declamation: it is not by such means that moral science is to be improved." (Bentham p.527) Teleology, simple as it may be, is not quite as simple as merely aiming for happiness and hoping for the best. Deontology is even less simple, with the motives behind the action bearing greater importance than the action itself. Striving for happiness and being a morally praiseworthy person at the same time is a continuous game of give and take, with the outcome entirely dependent on which viewpoint (Kantian, Utilitarian) is held. Together, we will explore these principles eve!Kantianism and Utilitarianism differ greatly in their approach to individual actions and their respective outcomes. Here, we will look at two separate viewpoints, the Teleological approach and the Deontological approach. In Deontology,
Still, the question remains of how one can know that a maxim is truly valid and can fully consider itself applicable to universal law. Once again, the Categorical Imperative comes into play. The action that promotes the most happiness overall, is deemed the most desirable, regardless of the m!otive or reason behind that action. entire of itself," hence we form our standpoints solely on the world around us. "Duty is the necessity of an action executed from respect for law. Law and, arguably, religion, are man-made and therefore open to debate on true validity. According to Kant, when a person acts accordingly with universal rule, they can be considered morally praiseworthy. No one is perfect; therefore these questions need to be asked. Only by fully embracing duty, can one consider their motives for action morally respectable. Not be derived from inclination in any way. Actions are judged according to the "greatest happiness principle" which states that desirable actions augment happiness, while undesirable actions diminish happiness. How do we decide what makes a person morally praiseworthy? In Kantian terms, a person's actions can be deemed morally praiseworthy only by analyzing the motives behind those actions. To Kant, the Categorical Imperative is only valid if the principle can be applied universally to any situation. For Bentham and Mill, Teleology is a trait to which they both subscribe.
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