A Background Of Utilitarianism And Examples Of Its Application (Essay Sample)

Running head: UTILITARIANISM
Utilitarianism
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Utilitarianism
Utilitarianism has worries that require in-depth evaluation. The fact that it demands the sacrifice of our own desires and happiness for the desires of those who are greater in number is objectionable. Since happiness of the greater number cannot be measured nor the morality of their happiness defined, it is safe to say utilitarianism is flawed to some extent. As such, utilitarianism disregards giving priority to ourselves while it encourages seeing things from the universe’s perspective (Kahanea, Everetta, Earpa, Fariasd, & Savulescua, 2015).
I will give an example where utilitarianism comes out as lacking ethical depth. Consider situations where two people are drowning, and you can only save one. One of the two people is your child and the other is an important person, let us day a doctor. In this situation, utilitarianism requires that the important person be saved since it reduces most pain. As such, one's desire of saving his or her child is sacrificed for the benefit of the happiness of those who are greater in number, in this case, those who can be treated or saved by the doctor. In this instance, according to Richardson (1999), utilitarianism allows deprivation of individual liberty.
According to utilitarianism, the action of saving the doctor is morally accepted since it benefits the greatest number. This cannot be said to be a plausible answer to a person who lost his or her child while saving an important person. While the larger society will benefit from the saving of the doctor, the parent&ac...