John Stuart Mill s Ethical Theory - 865 Words

Moral Dilemma A describes a case in which a physician has an option to inform a patient of an untreatable cancer, or to not inform. This case in my opinion has the most merit, and can be applied to Mill’s Utilitarian Ethical Theory, the Kantian ethical theory, as well as the Principle of Beneficence and the Principle of Respect for Autonomy in order to determine an appropriate response for the doctor to act upon. Utilitarianism is an idea generated by John Stuart Mill and encompasses the idea of Principle of Utility. The Principle states that acts are right when they produce happiness, which is defined as pleasure and the absence of pain, as well as that acts are wrong when they promote unhappiness, which is defined as pain and the privation of pleasure. This theory is used to analyze a dilemma through a series of positive and negative consequences of a certain action. In this case, the action performed by the doctor would be to inform the patient of the cancer. Negative consequences, or those that will occur by not informing the patient, include preventing unneeded worry and extreme stress due to the inability to cure the cancer, as well as the patient can continue to live their everyday life in which they are accustomed. Positive consequences of telling the patient even though a cure does not exist includes a chance for the patient to say goodbye to loved ones, arrange their affairs accordingly, and the patient can come to the realization of their impending death.Show MoreRelatedJohn Stuart Mill s Ethical Theory920 Words   |  4 PagesJohn Stuart Mill believed in the ethical theory (utilitarianism). Everyone should act in such way to bring the largest possibly balance of good over evil. The goodness of an act may be determined by the consequences of that act. Consequences are determined by the amount of happiness or unhappiness caused. A good man is one who considers the other man s pleasure as equally as his own. Each person s happiness is equally important. Mill believed that a free act is not an undetermined act. It isRead MoreCareer Prospects Vary For Me872 Words   |  4 Pagesas a lead in a film. In the future when I am confronted with a script with a lead that can be played by either a female or male, I will make the decision to cas t a female. Nine times out of ten, this casting choice will rail against the screenwriter s vision because when men write, they write with the intent to fictionalize characters that identify with them. This is not entirely a bad thing, however it does indirectly cause the number of women leads in Hollywood to regress. My actions as a directorRead MoreComparing Aristotle And John Stuart Mill1130 Words   |  5 Pagesintend 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. Aristotle was a particularly influentialRead MoreAristotle s Philosophy Of Morality And The Final Goal Of Human Life Essay1895 Words   |  8 PagesAristotle on Ethics The Nicomachean Ethics, Aristotle s key study of morality and the final goal of human life, has for many years been a popular and persuasive book. It offers the modern reader many useful insights into human desires and behavior despite being thousands of years old. The overarching theme behind this book is Aristotle s assertion that there are no recognized unconditional moral standards and that every ethical theory must take into consideration an understanding of psychologyRead MoreUtilitarianism : Bentham And Mill766 Words   |  4 PagesBentham VS. Mill Utilitarianism is a normative ethical theory that holds the morally right course of action in any given situation is the course of which yields the greatest balance of benefits over harms. More specifically, utilitarianism’s core idea is that the effects of an action determine whether actions are morally right or wrong. Created with philosophies of Jeremy Bentham (1748–1832) and John Stuart Mill (1806–1873), Utilitarianism began in England in the 19th Century. Bentham and Mill builtRead MoreImmanuel Kant And John Stuart Mill Essay2002 Words   |  9 PagesTwo of the most widely known ethical philosophers are Immanuel Kant and John Stuart Mill. While they may have philosophized around the same time period, the philosophers have very different ideas about ethics and happiness. Immanuel Kant, author of Duty and Reason, believed in the morality of the good will and duty. He espoused that happiness is an irrelevancy insofar as fulfilling duty is the most important aspect of leading a moral life. Conversely, John Stuart Mill, who wrote, The Greatest HappinessRead MoreJohn Stuart Mill s On Liberty And Utilitarianism Essay2257 Words   |  10 PagesThis essay examines and inspects liberty and order conflict based on the writings of philosopher John Stuart Mill, titled On Liberty and Utilitarianism. We will discuss how his philosophical views on equality as fundamental to what it means to be human. We will interpret John Stuart Mill’s theorist view on equality as fundamental to the good or bad functioning of the state? The question and debate we would also raise will be, is equality be integral the arrangements of power? Lastly, we wouldRead MoreThe Energy Cooperative1800 Words   |  8 PagesCooperative.† The following paper will analyze the ethical issues surrounding the use of such a statement from five different ethical theories. These particular theories come from Immanuel Kant, John Stuart Mill, John Locke, John Rawls, a nd Lawrence Kohlberg. Finally, there will be a solution that the board should take with the issue, ethical, or otherwise. Immanuel Kant (1724-1804) had an ethical theory dubbed the Categorical Imperative. Within this theory he discusses the morally right and morally wrongRead MoreUtilitarianism, By John Stuart Mill1372 Words   |  6 Pagesbasic elements, can be described as creating â€Å"the greatest good for the greatest number† (122). Such was the sentiment of John Stuart Mill, one of act utilitarianism’s (also known as just utilitarianism) greatest pioneers, and promoters. Mills believed that his theory of always acting in a way that achieved the greatest net happiness was both superior to other philosophical theories and also more beneficial to the general public. However, as often occurs in the field of philosophy, there were many detractorsRead MoreSimilarity Between Religion And Utilitarianism813 Words   |  4 Pagessimilarities between religion and utilitarianism are striking, it is not true to assert that religion is utilitarian. The views of Aristotle and those of Mills on ethics are different. While Aristotle’s focuses on individual happiness, Mill focuses on the happiness of the community as a whole. Mill and Aristotle had very different views on individual happiness. Mill believed that pleasure and the absence of pain are what make an individual happy. On the other hand, Aristotle believed that happiness arises from