Kant And Mill s Utilitarianism Theory - 1316 Words

When presented with a choice between saving the life of one person, or saving the life of five, how should you choose which is the right thing to do? Is there even a right choice in this situation when either way someone is going to die? The theories presented by Kant and Mill seem to suggest there is. They each have their own beliefs on how you should handle the situation, and which is in fact the right choice to make. Kant’s deontological theory rests in the basis of morality. Mill’s utilitarianism theory rests in the basis of maximized happiness. So, how would they handle this situation? In the end, which is the right choice to make? The principle of utility states that, â€Å"actions or behaviors are right in so far as they promote happiness or pleasure, wrong as they tend to produce unhappiness or pain† (White). Utilitarianism suggests that actions are morally right only if and because they produce the greatest net good (Markovits).Therefore, in both rescue situations presented, Mill would have told the rescuers to save the lives of the five endangered people instead of the one. The right action is the one with the most overall value. Saving more lives maximizes happiness, and prevents more suffering (Markovits). In the first rescue situation, continuing on to save the lives of five people as opposed to one seems like a no-brainer to a utilitarian. Mill would have told the rescuers that the solution would have been reducing the pain of five people as opposed to that ofShow MoreRelatedKant s Theory Of Moral Theory1466 Words   |  6 Pagessince Kant s publication of his renowned ethical treatises, deontologists and utilitarians alike have argued over which moral theory is most coherent. Yet, in Mill s critique of Kant, Mill sidesteps this issue, not by directly critiquing Kant s moral theory, but rather by asserting that Kant s moral theory is actually just a form of utilitarianism. Essentially, Kant s universal law test is nothing mo re than a veiled appeal to consequences, as Mill correctly claims in his critique of Kant. AfterRead MoreWhat Has Posterity Ever Done For Me By Robert Heilbroner1626 Words   |  7 Pagesregards to preserving the planet. In this paper, I will present Heilbroner s arguments for posterity, in relation to how we treat our environment. In addition, I will compare two ethical theories, Kant s Categorical Imperative to Mill s theory of Utilitarianism. I will then argue as to why Utilitarianism is more plausible in respect to Heilbroner s environmental view on posterity. 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