Pros And Cons Of Utilitarianism

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Before delving deep into the field of ethics and tackling ethical dilemmas, it is important to know that there are three main schools of thought: Utilitarianism, Deontology, and Virtue Ethics. Each of these schools of thought focus on aiming for the good, the right, and the ought, but they all arrive at those places in slightly different fashions. For instance, Utilitarianism focuses on the greatest good for the greatest number of people, Deontology focuses on fulfilling one’s duty, and Virtue Ethics focuses on doing whatever it takes to be a man or woman of character and virtue. Therefore, Utilitarianism requires an individual to look at an ethical dilemma and discover a solution to the dilemma that would make it possible for the greatest number of people to benefit from the situation, even if it causes harm to a few other people. On the …show more content…

Case in point, Utilitarianism is good because it looks at the bigger picture and tries to solve ethical dilemmas in a way that positively impacts the greatest number of people. However, positively impacting the greatest number of people does not guarantee that some people will not be negatively impacted. Therefore, Utilitarianism is not ideal because it scarifies the happiness and well-being of some to benefit others. Likewise, Deontology is good because it treats individuals as ends in themselves rather than means to the happiness and well being of others, but it lacks in merit because it focuses on duty rather than initiative and willingness to do something just because it’s the right thing to do. Additionally, Virtue Ethics has its pros and cons because it asks one to do what a virtuous man or woman would do, which is good. However, it is hard to tell what is truly virtuous, so acting the way a virtuous man or woman might act may not necessarily be

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