Philosophy

» pink101 - Justifying The Means

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How does this (act) unility play out as far as the ends justifying the means as a concept is concerned and/or visa versa?

-- posted by pink101

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» RLSharp - Justifying The Means

In response to Justifying The Means posted by pink101:

It's almost completely based on the ends, in act utilitarianism. That's the biggest criticism against it. If the action produces more good than harm, it is justified and proper. The losses along the way don't matter as long as they are outweighed by the goods.

Of course, if we could achieve those same goods without the losses, then that would be the better thing to do according to this kind of utilitarianism. Maximizing pleasure is always the goal. So if we have to lie to do that, that's OK. If we have to kill...also OK, as long as it produces the maximum utility.

-- posted by RLSharp

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» pink101 - Justifying The Means

In response to Justifying The Means posted by RLSharp:

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So act utilitarianism could be applied to almost everything that transpires in our life times from going to sleep at night to finghting world wars?

-- posted by pink101

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» RLSharp - Justifying The Means

In response to Justifying The Means posted by pink101:

In theory, yes. However, it more appropriately refers to moral decisions. Sleeping is not usually a moral decision, though it can be if something more pressing should be done instead. If we had to consider every single act we ever commit, we would never actually be able to act. We'd always be calculating!

-- posted by RLSharp

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