Archive for category Utilitarianism
Utilitarianism – What is It
Posted by admin in Utilitarianism on August 15, 2011
Utilitarianism” or the “greatest happiness for the greatest number,” is not a new theory. It has roots in Aristotle, whom Steve Wilkens, author of Beyond Bumper Sticker Ethics, states that although we want to “pursue relaxation, education, and money”–we don’t just do them. We do them because we believe they will give us happiness. Even further, utilitarianism forces us to look out for the good of everyone, and not just ourselves.
An example of utilitarianism at work might be observed at a school site staff meeting. When the topic comes up of whether or not the teachers should walk the kids to class after the bell rings, or just meet them at the door, (a recent one at our staff meeting) everyone’s opinions must be considered and the good of the many must win.
Well, it happened that our staff voted twenty to four in favor of walking the children to class for their safety, etc. I was one of the four who voted against, because I enjoyed meeting our children at the door and I also felt it took away some of their freedom and natural conversations that used to happen in the halls on the way to our little classroom! Plus, it’s an extra effort for all teachers involved to walk over and parade them to the classes. Read the rest of this entry »
Utilitarianism Vs Value-Neutral
Posted by admin in Utilitarianism on August 15, 2011
None of us remember the days when a family ran their own business and their business was themselves. Let’s think about this for a moment. A family running their own business for themselves would be what? They would simply be producing what they themselves needed to survive and thrive-the essentials of clothing, food, and shelter. Was this good or bad? Rubenstein, author of The Age of Triage would certainly answer that this was good. This is the best thing a society could do for itself. Because in fact, what may seem selfish or self-serving in this circumstance is the opposite, this function of living is mass-serving, providing both work and subsistence for every one in each circumstance.
The two principles being argued here are that of “value-neutral” and utilitarianism. By definition “value-neutral” can be considered living a neutral life providing essentially only that which is needed for self or family. The opponent being a utilitarian lifestyle, or in other words mass production, which is to say producing the most (in the “best way”) for the greatest number of people. Notice that “best way” is in quotation for good reason. Because, really, the way by which the items are being produced is what is in question here.
Now instinct, I believe, for most is to say “of course producing the most in the quickest way for the largest amount of people would be the better circumstance-the more the merrier right?” Maybe not. In this condition what we may not realize is that while China is mass producing our goods (to use a poignant example) we in the U.S. are fatting our population upon this production and in the same notion debilitating ourselves out of usefulness and therefore existence. Read the rest of this entry »