Advantages and Disadvantages of Utilitarianism - Advantages and disadvantages table in A Level and IB Ethics

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Created by: haveyoumetkiwi
Created on: 16-05-16 21:19

Advantages and Disadvantages of Utilitarianism

Advantages

It is a secular ethical theory
Happiness is something that everybody searches for, so it seems right we would make moral decisions based on it
It is the best way to judge a democracy; "UT of whatever stripe is, first and foremost, a standard for judging public action."
Thinking about the consequences of actions, fits with the idea that consequences matter and allows people to take responsibility for actions

Disadvantages

Our ideas of happiness are completely subjective
There are other things of intrinsic worth, such as freedom
Negative UT - would advocate the extinction of the human race if it meant the end of suffering
We can never be completely certain of all the consequences of our actions

Evaluation

Although there are many strengths of UT, such as the fact it is a secular ethical theory and paves the way for secular morality, the weaknesses simply outweigh the strengths. As Gotthold Lessing argues, "what's the point of it?"

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