Teleological ethics, also known as consequentialism, judges actions based on their outcomes or consequences. This means that an action is considered good if it leads to a positive result, like happiness or pleasure, and bad if it leads to a negative result, like suffering. Teleological ethics focus...
- Derives moral obligation from what is good or desirable as an end to be achieved. Morality of
an action is contingent on the action’s outcome which means that the rightness or wrongness
of an action depends on outcomes/consequence, if it brings a good end or intrinsic value.
Ethical Egoism. Moral duty is exclusive for the self which means that one ought to do/pursue
whatever is in one’s own best interest (e.g., developing a career).
Utilitarianism. Consequences of actions are more favorable than unfavorable to everyone which
means that one ought to perform actions which tend to produce the greatest overall happiness
for the greatest number of people (e.g., promoting social justice).
JEREMY BENTHAM’S PRINCIPLE OF UTILITY
Believes that human actions and social institutions should be judged right or wrong depending
upon their tendency to promote the greatest amount of pleasure or least amount of pain.We
should commend an action if it produces pleasure or prevents pain and condemn an action if it
does the opposite.
Main Principles. (1) Recognizes the fundamental role of pain and pleasure in human life,
(2)Approves or disapproves of an action based on the amount of pain or pleasure brought about
by the consequences of the action, (3) Equates good with pleasure and evil with pain, and
(4)Asserts that pleasure and pain are capable of quantification, hence, measurable.
Act Utilitarianism. The right act is defined as the one which brings about the best results or the
least amount of bad results (e.g., charity work).
Utilitarian Calculus.Away to measure pleasure and pain using different factors/criteria in an
action.
JOHN STUART MILL’S GREATEST HAPPINESS PRINCIPLE
It is not the quantity of pleasure but the quality of happiness that is central to utilitarianism. An
action should be judged right or wrong if it has the tendency to achieve happiness for the
greatest number of people.
Rule Utilitarianism. We ought to live by rules which lead to the greatest good in general.Avoid
short-time utility, instead focus on achieving long-term utility (e.g.,equality for women).
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