Utilitarianism and Virtue Ethics
Utilitarianism is defined as an ethical theory which plays a significant role in determining the right and wrong in trying to focus on the best-required outcomes. It is sometimes referred to as a form of consequentialism. In many cases, utilitarianism holds that most types of ethical choices are the ones that produce the highest kind of good for the possible significant number. It is seen as a form of the moral framework which can be primarily be used to justify the application of military forces in the war. Furthermore, it is regarded as one of the most common forms of approach which applies the required moral reasoning which is used for the majority of business management because they form the basis for monitoring of benefits and costs. However, due to the inability to predict any form of future, it becomes a difficulty for one to effectively determine the type of certainty and the upcoming consequences of performing a specific action. The use of utilitarianism is applied to determine whether a particular work is right or wrong (Sellman, 2017). This also proved to be the main differences noticed in the utilitarianism because it is easier for one to predict the future in trying to know the consequences of the actions that have already been taken.
Furthermore, utilitarianism has some troubles when trying to account for the values and justice for the various individual rights that are advocated on multiple forums. For example, on the side of hospitals, where the lives of people depend on getting some form of transplants such as the liver, heart and kidney, the presence of these individuals will be at high stake when specific considerations are observed. If there are chances that a healthy person wanders into the hospital facility, the organs can easily be harvested and used to save the human lives that are at stake. The move of the healthy person walking into the robust facility to save the life of an individual would produce some of the most excellent forms of good for the highest number of people who are in dire need of the services. However, few people would consider the actions of the health person passing by and giving help as an acceptable course of action, not considering the opportunity of making it appear to be an ethical one. Therefore, the use of utilitarianism is seen as one of the most reason-based moves, which is applied in determining whether something is right or wrong. This is one of the most critical steps that have ensured that utilitarianism is much used to the majority of people across society.
There are proponents of the utilitarianism theory who have disagreed on some points stating whether actions are supposed to be taken based on the possible results. They argue whether agents are required to submit and try to works towards ensuring that the rules and regulations applied can maximize the available utilities. It is with the good interest of the affected personnel since unlike other forms such as the consequentialism, the case of utilitarianism ensures that the importance of human is taken into consideration. There is also some disagreement whether the actual average should be used as the primary utility which will be highly maximized.
Virtue ethics is seen not to be so much concerned about judging the outcomes of something being right or wrong. Virtue ethics tries to view morality as one of the ways through which one can have the required and correct character. For example, we might help a friend who may need to be loyal and has some compassion of particular virtues and without prior regard of specific instrumental purposes that ensure they serve the overdrives required of an individual. Despite the chance of virtue ethics being one of the minority provisions of the preoccupied ethicists, there is an appeal for various virtues which are always said to be on the forefront in promoting contact within the natural environment and the contemplation of the existing non-specialist in the field of intrinsic good.
Furthermore, in virtue ethics, the norms of the existing excellence are usually productive. They are employed in normally disposed regard of reasoned feelings and free expression of inner states of an individual. Some of the common problems of virtue ethics involve the existence of universality and blossoming of relationship between the actual character and the issues which are applied to the actual life of an individual. The application of virtue ethics ensures that role obligations are addressed and the right actions are easily addressed to ensure that the demands and determinacy of an individual’s character is easily traced and then inspired by other sources.
In many cases, virtue ethics tries to support various actions that build on good character and usually involve the process of getting the required feedback from those involved in a relationship and ensures that there is easier development of the virtuous character. It is usually based on the premise of an individual having the moral virtues which are vital in helping an individual behave ethically, and someone has the capacity of purely following the outline provisions (Shaw, 2016). Furthermore, virtue ethics are usually motivated by the provision of ensuring that they are usually consistent with approaches that are motivated spiritually and are considered to be one of the main ways through which the performance of an individual can be motivated and easily addressed through the use of ethical behaviour.
However, I consider utilitarianism as the best approach that should be adopted by various individuals due to various reasons. First, the use of utilitarianism plays a critical role in helping an individual make certain decisions. It plays a critical role for an individual in helping her/him when making decisions that involve a large group of individuals. Second, it is vital because it gives individuals the option of weighing between the amount of good and wrong that will be produced by the implementation of a certain action. Through the use of these provisions, it helps one to conform with the feeling of bad and good. In many cases, our actions may be the best that produces the best for other people. Third, utilitarianism forms the basis of carrying out ethical, environmental action. It is considered as one that manages to produce the least form of harm to the people who are adversely affected.
References
Sellman, D. (2017). Virtue ethics and nursing practice. In Key concepts and issues in nursing ethics (pp. 43-54). Springer, Cham.
Shaw, W. H. (2016). Utilitarianism and the Ethics of War. Routledge.