Student Discussion on Utilitarianism

Utilitarianism is the moral belief that an action is right if it produces the greatest good for the most number of people. It is often based on the calculated consequences or outcomes of a certain action. If you think action will bring the maximum amount of happiness to the most number of people, then it is the right thing to do. It is the concept that what’s morally true is what actions result in the greatest amount of happiness or pleasure for the maximum number of people. Although there are two broad branches of utilitarian ethics the goal of both ethics is to maximize happiness. Act Utilitarianism argues that we should always choose our actions based on what will cause the greatest amount of happiness. It is put in place to benefit the most people by using the fairest methods possible. A great example of act utilitarianism in business is a medicinal company releasing a drug that has been approved with known side effects because the drug is able to help more people that are bothered by the minor side effects. Rule Utilitarianism argues that we should figure out what sort of behavior usually causes happiness, and turn it into a set of rules. An example of rule utilitarian is road rules are an example of rule utilitarianism. While it is true that sometimes a person can drive safely even when not following a marked speed limit, it is preferable for all people to follow a standard set of road rules regardless of individual scenarios.