Question

Compare utilitarian theory, the theory of rights and the theory of justice. In what ways might these theories contradict one another when used for decision making? write in your own words.

Answer 1

UTILITARIAN THEORY :

Utilitarianism is an ethical theory that states that the best action is the one that maximizes utility, which is usually defined as that which produces the greatest well-being of the greatest number of people, and in some cases, sentient animals. It determines right from wrong by focusing on outcomes. It is a form of consequentialism.

Jeremy Bentham, the founder of utilitarianism, described utility as the sum of all pleasure that results from an action, minus the suffering of anyone involved in the action.

Utilitarianism is a version of consequentialism, which states that the consequences of any action are the only standard of right and wrong. Unlike other forms of consequentialism, such as egoism and altruism, utilitarianism considers the interests of all beings equally. Utilitarianism is a theory in normative ethics, or the ethics that define the morality of actions. The greatest happiness principle states that a moral action is one that maximizes utility, or happiness, for the greatest number of people.

Utilitarianism holds that the most ethical choice is the one that will produce the greatest good for the greatest number. It is the only moral framework that can be used to justify military force or war. It is also the most common approach to moral reasoning used in business because of the way in which it accounts for costs and benefits.

However, because we cannot predict the future, it’s difficult to know with certainty whether the consequences of our actions will be good or bad. This is one of the limitations of utilitarianism.

Utilitarianism also has trouble accounting for values such as justice and individual rights. For example, assume a hospital has four people whose lives depend upon receiving organ transplants: a heart, lungs, a kidney, and a liver. If a healthy person wanders into the hospital, his organs could be harvested to save four lives at the expense of one life. This would arguably produce the greatest good for the greatest number. But few would consider it an acceptable course of action, let alone the most ethical one. So, although utilitarianism is arguably the most reason-based approach to determining right and wrong, it has obvious limitations.

JOHN LOCKE's THEORY OF RIGHTS:

Rights can be defined as “something to which one has a just claim: as a

(a) Power or privilege to which one is justly entitled

(b) (i) the interest that one has a piece of property – often used as plural

(ii) plural: the property interest possessed under law or custom and agreement in an intangible thing especially of a literary and artistic nature

(iii) something one may claim as due”

.

• MORAL RIGHTS – are a subset of rights of creator of copyright work, including right for attribution, right to have work published anonymously or pseudonymously, and right to integrity of work.

• LEGAL RIGHTS - are clearly rights exist in legal system

• POSITIVE RIGHTS – Since the concept of rights limit the action from Government, only way to circumvent them is by adding new rights that is superior to others. The concept of positive rights were developed to replace the old one. Exam. – ‘a right to health care’

• NEGATIVE RIGHTS – are rights typically not to be subjected to certain conditions such as freedom of speech or autonomy. Negative rights impose duties on others to leave you alone and let do the things that are important to you. Like speak your mind or make your own decision.

THE THEORY OF JUSTICE:

Theory of Justice attempts to solve the problem of distributive justice by utilizing the device of the social contract. Issues involving questions of justice and fairness are usually divided into three categories.

• DISTRIBUTIVE JUSTICE – is concerned with fair distribution of society’s benefits and burdens.

• RETRIBUTIVE JUSTICE – refers to just imposition of punishment or penalties to those who do wrong

• COMPENSATORY JUSTICE – concerns the just way of compensating people for what they lost when they were wronged by others.

As far as decision making is concerned, these theories have different approaches towards it and these differences are evident in the above mentioned explaination.