Moral Foundations
Journal 3 (Type 2)
April 14, 2015
Utilitarianism 246-247(EEW)
In the excerpt from Utilitarianism, discusses the basics of utilitarianism as well as poses arguments against its main ideas. Utilitarianism is “the doctrine that an action is right insofar as it promotes happiness, and that the greatest happiness of the greatest number should be the guiding principle of conduct.”(www.merriam-webster.com) Essentially whatever makes the most people happy at any cost. This principle is usefull however, for example in class when we were split into groups and each group had to decide what the best way to spend the 30 dollars allocated to the class. By doing so we were able to analyze the different options and discuss in our groups and as a class what the most effective way was. In this case utilitarioanism is being used in an effectively in a situation. In the exerpt from Utilitarianism however the author does not fully agree with utilitarianism, and does not believe it to be practical in everyday life. “there is not time, previous to action, for calculating and weighing the effects of any line of conduct on the general happiness.”(EEW) What this is saying is that in order to practice utilitarianism you need to take into account everyone due to the fact its main principle is happiness for all. In reality this can not happen in every situation you are in. People have learned overtime through trial and error not through people doing things out of impulse.