Baby Theresa Pearson: Anencephaly

Jeremy Bentham, a philosopher and social reformist who pioneered the utilitarian approach, believed that the end state of an action justified the means. Further, he claimed that all pleasures were ranked equally and the same for everybody (Kay, 1997). Drawing upon these ideas, Jeremy Bentham would likely tell the transistor company that they should continue supplying their part to the pacemaker company. Under his

Jeremy Bentham and John Stuart Mill are known for their theories about utilitarianism. Both of them agree that the ethical right thing to do would be to maximize utility in any given situation. Yet, both of them disagree when it came to defninig pleasure. Bentham’s theory generalizes pleasure as just the same type of emotion felt by anyone and in any situation. Mill’s theory on the other hand stated that there are two different types of pleasure: the higher intellectual pleasure and the lower physical pleasure

Anencephaly is a congenital neurological disorder characterized by absence of the cerebrum and cerebellum, as well as the top of the skull, resulting in exposure of the brain stem. Even though the brain stem is exposed this does not mean that the babies brain or head is completely missing. This is considered one of the more serious birth defects that a baby can have because they baby will never have the brain power to grow and become an adult. Many of these babies are exposed to various infections and will only live up to one week even though some have lived up to one year at the most. Anencephalics are seen as a huge source of organ donation because they are not damaged like other babies such as babies who have been abused or babies that have been in car accidents. Many of these babies that need the organs of anencephalics are usually the ones who have heart defects. Parents such as Laura Campo heard about this type of donor possibility when she was pregnant at twenty four weeks and found out about her child being anencephalic there was no way for her to abort the baby because she was too far along. This resulted in Laura Campo going to the Florida District Court but since Laura’s baby girl who she named Theresa, by Harvard Law was not brain dead they were not allowed to use her organs for donation. The judge Estella Moriarty was begged by the family to pronounce her brain dead so they could save another child’s life but instead Theresa’s organs began to fail. Once her

Alternatively, Paternoster (2010), suggested that Bentham displayed a more developed deterrence theory model of human conduct. Bentham identified that human behavior is directed by the pursuance of pleasure and the evasion of pain (as cited in Paternoster, 2010). Bentham’s pleasure principle is defined by the benefits; while the pain principle is the costs (as cited in Paternoster, 2010). Bentham specified four elements of pleasure and pain; physical, political, moral or popular, and religious (as

Classical utilitarianism is a normative ethical theory which holds that an action can only be considered as morally right where its consequences bring about the greatest amount of good to the greatest number (where 'good' is equal to pleasure minus pain). Likewise, an action is morally wrong where it fails to maximise good. Since it was first articulated in the late 19th Century by the likes of Jeremy Bentham and later John Stewart Mill, the classical approach to utilitarianism has since become the basis for many other consequentialist theories such as rule-utilitarianism and act-utilitarianism upon which this essay will focus (Driver, 2009). Though birthed from the same

The advancement of medical technology has made it possible to detect medical abnormalities while a child is still a fetus and can create difficult choices for parents to make if severe anomalies are discovered. There are many theories regarding the moral status of the fetus that can be applied when deciding how to proceed if these abnormalities are detected. In the fetal abnormality case study, Jessica, Marco, Maria, and Dr. Wilson each have varying opinions on what course of action to take based on these different theories of moral status.

Bentham’s framework is a theory of Utilitarianism which can be summed simply in the more commonly used phrasing: “the ends justifies the means”. Or basically, that if the outcome of an action is perceived to be more beneficial than failing to perform the action, then the action used to achieve this outcome is

Jeremy Bentham is a teleological/consequential philosopher or consequentialist, one who focuses on the consequences and ends instead of intention and actions. Bentham’s focus carries more weight than that of Immanuel Kant or John Stuart Mill and their views. Jeremy Bentham’s philosophy focuses on measuring pain and pleasure for the greatest number of morally significant beings through their actions. Bentham presents guidelines that measure the intensity, duration, (un) certainty, propinquity, fecundity, and extent of the pain and pleasure that a certain action beholds and uses these measurements to determine if the action promotes the greatest good (being pleasure in Bentham’s case) for the greatest number of morally significant beings (Hoff 2017).

Jeremy Bentham was one of the first philosophers to present a fully developed system of utilitarianism. He thought that we, as humans, should evaluate the consequences of our actions, determine whether each action is morally right or wrong, and tally the pleasure and pain that comes as a result of our actions. Is it right for me to donate to charity? Is it right for me to cheat on my government test? These questions we ask ourselves fall under Bentham’s theory known as act-utilitarianism because it focuses on the consequences of every action we perform. Bentham argues that the “greatest happiness of the greatest number of people” (Bentham) is how we should determine right from wrong. He also believed “mankind is under the

The role of pleasure in morality has been examined thoroughly throughout the beginning of philosophy and continues to be a questionable issue. With these in-depth examinations, some similar outlooks as well as differing views have been recorded. Many philosophers have dissected this important topic, however I intend to concentrate of the famous works of Aristotle, Immanuel Kant, and John Stuart Mill. After meticulously analyzing each of the above philosophers’ texts, I personally prefer the position of utilitarian and Benthamite, John Stuart Mill. After comparing and contrasting the positions and reasonings of these philosophers, I will demonstrate my own reasons why I have chosen John Stuart Mill as the most established in his theory of the role of pleasure in morality.

Rachels’ first example is Baby Theresa, who was born an anencephalic. Her parents wanted to donate her organs, as she was likely going to die within days anyway. However, Florida Law prevented the taking of organs from anyone “alive”, and by the time Baby Theresa died, her organs were no longer useable. Rachels goes through the arguments of both the pro

Pleasure versus Pain: For a long time, Utilitarianism has been used to refer to different perspectives commonly falling under the semblance of this theoretical deportment (Lukas 43). To take the point of reference closer home, the paper will attempt to sum up the main theoretical perspectives of this ethical structure. For a significant portion, Utilitarianism identifies and distinguishes two absolutes in the universe: pain and pleasure. Moral law is shaped and

John Stuart Mill adds more arguments to Bentham’s view of Utilitarianism, which are important factors to consider when discussing this topic. Utilitarianism is the idea to promote the greatest happiness to the general society as opposed to oneself (Mill, 114). Each pleasure is said to have its own difference in quality, so people are able to make the choice between two pleasures (115). Mill believes mental pleasures reign more important than bodily pleasures seeing that bodily pleasures are seen as inferior to the greater good (115). It takes a higher grade of pleasures to make a human satisfied and pleased. “It is better to be a human being dissatisfied than a pig satisfied; better to be Socrates dissatisfied than a fool satisfied” (116). An important factor for choosing higher pleasures over inferior pleasures is that you only have time for one pleasure and if you chose the inferior pleasure it will be wasted (117). However the standards of what is right and wrong are not decided by the person’s own happiness but the happiness of everyone who is concerned in the decision (117). Being a Utilitarian forces you to stay an

Bentham’s concern was upon utilitarianism which assumes the greatest happiness for the greatest numbers. He believes that individuals weigh the probabilities of present and future pleasures against those of present and future pain (Postema, 1998).

Jeremy Bentham states we should create the most happiness and pleasure and reduce suffering and unhappiness through the ethical theory of Ulitarianism. Through the practice of euthanasia, if a person requests to be put out of their misery and their family consents, it would be beneficial to the person and their family to not see them suffer anymore and know they are in a better place. For