Theories of Right action (4)

8/7/2019 Theories of Right action (4)

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Theories of Right Action


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Theories about Right Action

y Utilitarianism

y

Duty Ethics

y Rights Ethics

y Virtue Ethics


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UTILITARIANISM

y Attempts to achieve a balance between good and bad consequences of an

action

y Tries to maximize the well-being of society and emphasizes what will

provide the most benefits to the largest group of peopley Fundamental to many types of engineering analysis, including risk-benefit

analysis and cost-benefit analysis

y Drawbacks:

ySometimes what is best for the community as a whole is bad forindividuals

y Impossible to know in advance which decision will lead to the

most good


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UTILITARIANISM

y John Stuart Mills - Act- Utilitarianism and Happinessy Focus on individual action rather than general rules

y Act is right if its likely to produce the most good for the mostpeople involved.

y Means to achieve the intrinsic good i.e. happiness, is called asinstrumental goods.

y Richard BranttsRule Utilitarianism and Rational desires.

y Moral rules considered as primary.

y Rules that is generally followed that produce most good for themost people. Such good will satisfy the rational desires

y Rules are considered as sets',which he calls moral codes.


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UtilitarianismUtilitarianism

y Application of the Principle ofUtility

y What is right to do is to do whatever has forconsequence to

maximize the happinessforeveryone concerned.yUtility

y Impartiality

yConsequentialism


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UtilityUtility

y Happiness measured by amount of pleasure/pain.

y Need to know both sides

y Need to educate and foster our taste for refined activities


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ImpartialityImpartiality

yy Everybody counts and counts equallyEverybody counts and counts equally

y Noones happiness is, by itself, more valuable, then others.

y No particular group should be given special consideration

y Examples: race, gender, nationality etc

y Yourself, your family and your friends do not count more than others

yNon humans animals count as well


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ConsequentialismConsequentialism

y If beneficial consequences, then action is good

y If harmful consequences , then action is bad


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Utilitarianism

y Engineering and technological decision making, for the mostpart, are based on derivatives of utilitarianism.

y A basic tenant of utilitarianism is: the greatest good for the

greatest number.y This gives rise toeconomic determinism as manifest in

cost/benefit and risk/benefit analyses.


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Cost/benefit and Risk/benefit

y Insurance

y Energy

y Medical


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Utilitarianism-Some practical implications

y Abolition of slavery; equal rights for women and minorities; abolitionof child labor.

y Prison reform: prevention and rehabilitation.

y Extensive charitable duties.

y Mercy-killing can sometimes be permissible.

y Animals count, too


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DUTY ETHICS

y Contends that certain acts should be performed because they areinherently ethical (e.g. honesty, fairness)

yThis theory concludes that individuals who recognize their ethicalduties will choose ethically correct moral actions

y Drawback

y This method does not always lead to a solution whichmaximizes the public good


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DUTY ETHICS

y Kants Respect for persons

y Duties as fundamental rather than good consequences.

y Valid principles of duty show respect for persons.

y

Peo

ple lack goo

dw

ill do

no

t deserve to

be happy.y Duties toour self are fundamental and universalizable.

y Duties should be followed because ofour autonomouscommitment to morality itself, rather than ulterior motives.

y Principles of duties that have exceptions are called prima facieduties.


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RIGHTS ETHICS

y Everyone has inherent moral rights

y Duties arise because people have rights, not vice versa.

y Any act that violates an individuals moral rights is ethically

unacceptable

y Drawbacks:

yHow do we prioritize the rights of different

individuals?

y Rights ethics often promote the rights of

individuals at the expense of large

groups/society


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RIGHTS ETHICS

y John Lockes Liberty rights

y Viewed rights primarily as entitlements that prevent otherpeople from meddling in once life.These are referred as libertyrights or negative rights that plays duties on other people not

interfere with one's life.

y Melden,s Liberty and Welfare rights

y Conceives human rights as intimately related to the most

positive welfare of community people.y Positive welfare rights are towards community benefits needed

for minimally decent human life.


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VIRTUE ETHICS

y Focuses on the type of person we should strive to be.

y Actions which reflect good character traits are inherently

right.

y Actions which reflect bad character traits are inherentlywrong.

y Virtue ethics are tied more to individual behavior than toan organization


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BE ETHICAL &

DO THE RIGHT THING!!!


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Theories of Right action (4)

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