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Theories Of Utilitarianism

Decent Essays

Utilitarianism

Utilitarianism argues that what matters are not the actions itself but the consequences or outcomes of those actions. It claims that right or wrong actions could be separated by focusing on the consequences of those actions. Furthermore, utilitarianism believes that even though motives may cause actions, but consequences are resulted from actions. Therefore, whether the motive behind the action was a self-serving one or a genuine care for somebody else, it does not really matter. Utilitarianism teaches people to focus on maximizing happiness and produce least harm above everything else. Therefore, as long as the outcome is achieved, it allows people to disregard some moral rules. Judgment in utilitarianism is based on a cost …show more content…

The senior managers justified their actions of making work environment harder for Mary by thinking that it is for greater good or happiness. According to the first Utilitarian, Jeremy Bentham, the greater good for more people is the measure of right and wrong. The senior managers could be thinking that by letting Mary go, they are able to provide more jobs and opportunities for younger people. Furthermore, Mary is an experienced worker that has been working for the organization for 26 years, it could be said that her wage is substantially higher than new or younger employees. Therefore, the senior managers would justify it by thinking that instead of hiring one person, they could use the budget to hire more people. This way, they are providing more jobs and opportunities and therefore it is justified. As it is known, in Utilitarianism, consequences or results are more important than the actions itself. Moreover, Utilitarianism believes in choosing an action that produces happiness for greater number of people. Hence, as long as the benefits outweigh the harm, creating a difficult working environment for Mary in order for her to quit her job is justified and seen as creating greater happiness for more …show more content…

If a world could exist in which humans live by that principle, then that principles are of ethical value. If seen from Kantian perspective, the action of the managers is immoral, since they manipulate Mary’s working conditions and environment against her interests. Furthermore, Kantianism’s formulation is focused on respecting humanity of all people, which means people should not use or treat other people in ways that they themselves do not want to be treated. Therefore, it is clear that manipulating Mary’s working conditions in order to force her to quit is not acceptable, as the manipulators would definitely not want the same treatment to be given to them. According to Kantianism, the senior managers’ action could be deemed as unethical as they did not respect Mary’s

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