Space does not allow for a detailed critique of utilitarianism here. Morality is a means to some other end it is in no way an end in itself. In sum, according to utilitarianism, morality is a matter of the nonmoral good produced that results from moral actions and rules, and moral duty is instrumental, not intrinsic. Rather, the rightness or wrongness of an act or rule is solely a matter of the overall nonmoral good (e.g., pleasure, happiness, health, knowledge, or satisfaction of individual desire) produced in the consequences of doing that act or following that rule. But basically, a utilitarian approach to morality implies that no moral act (e.g., an act of stealing) or rule (e.g., “Keep your promises”) is intrinsically right or wrong. There are several varieties of utilitarianism.
Utilitarianism (also called consequentialism) is a moral theory developed and refined in the modern world in the writings of Jeremy Bentham (1748-1832) and John Stuart Mill (1806-1873). There are two major ethics theories that attempt to specify and justify moral rules and principles: utilitarianism and deontological ethics.
The full pdf can be viewed by clicking here.Įthics Theories- Utilitarianism Vs. The following is an excerpt from article DE197-1 from the Christian Research Institute.
