All actions are related to an underlying principle. Kantian thought supports the idea that the actions are justified by a set of rules outlined in Kantianism. Utilitarianism is based on the idea of a greater good. Positive and negative consequences are quantified and the most positive consequence for the greatest amount of people is chosen, sometimes at the expense of others. For utilitarian school of thought, an individual strives to do the most good, even at the expense of the minority.
What is one of the two alternatives to the consequentialist response to moral dilemmas of trying to minimize the bad and maximize the good, do deontologists provide? Answer Rank the moral duties according to the highest principles Select the choice that has the best consequences Deny that moral dilemmas are possible Do that which exhibits the highest virtue 3
The primary assumption it holds is based on individualism. The fundamental premises that the rational choice theory operates on affirm that the foundation of human behaviour is rational calculations. In addition, humans exhibit their rational side when acting upon making choices (Quackenbush 2004). This theory holds that humans are reasoning creatures that weigh the costs and benefits, together with means and ends, in order to make a rational choice. Further, it is important to note that the principal aim of these choices is to limit pain and optimize pleasure, together with profit.
Theory and Execution of Expectancy Theory Christopher K. Western Governors University Theory and Execution of Expectancy Theory The expectancy theory of motivation suggests that workplace productivity and employee performance can be explained, evaluated, and influenced by the fulfillment of three distinct relationships. These relationships are made up of the effort-performance relationship, performance-rewards relationship, and the rewards-personal goals relationship. According to the theory, to maximize employee performance in the workplace, all three relationships must be satisfactorily met in succession. (Robbins & Judge, 2012, p. 225) The first relationship in the expectancy theory is the effort-performance relationship, which stipulates that a persons effort must be able to achieve the desired performance. This relationship relies heavily on dependencies such as skill, ability, and achievable goals.
Utilitarianism is consequentalist ethical theory. When an action is judged entirely on the utility. So an action would be determined on the outcome and the consequences. In utilitarianism the utility of an action is decided on how much pleasure and happiness is gained from it, so it is about maximising happiness as much as possible rather than gaining pain and sadness. The two most well known utilitarian’s are Jeremy Bentham and John Stuart Mill.
Bentham founded the principle of utility, which states that an action is right if it “produces the greatest amount of good for the greatest amount of people.” Bentham believed good is the maximization of pleasure and the minimization of pain, and that the greatest good is the greatest pleasure that creates the less pain overall for the majority. There are two main types of Utilitarianism act and rule. Bentham is known as the Act utilitarian. Act utilitarianism is when making a moral decision the best or most moral action we can perform is one that will enable to bring the best consequences for the majorities’ happiness. For example a man has the choice to shoot one person and save thousands or walk away and let thousands die.
Morality is universally understood as a class of rules held by society to govern the right conduct of its members. Holding strong to this notion St. Thomas Aquinas, brings to light this understanding as personal inclination (or will) to achieve an ultimate end (God); in which those actions become the mean to understandings the human purpose. In his book, A Summary of Philosophy, Aquinas claims that the existence of God allows us to reason with the things around and wills us to act. In a different approach, Friedrich Nietzsche claims that morality is relative to time and power; our actions whether moral or immoral depend on the power they bestow to the perspectives that we hold. He doesn’t believe in a moral definition of what is good and bad; because historically it is contradicted by the men of power.
It moves beyond the scope of one's own interests and takes into account the interests of others. In this essay I will examine the Ethical Theory of Utility, its background and its influence upon society to determine if Utilitarianism can be expressed in the phrase “ The greatest good for the greatest number.” U·til·i·tar·i·an·ism 1 [Columbia Encyclopedia] Noun: • The doctrine that actions are right if they are useful or for the benefit of a majority. • The doctrine that an action is right insofar as it promotes happiness, and that the greatest happiness of the greatest number should be... Background Jeremy Bentham was the father of Utilitarianism, he was of the left liberal view, influenced by the French revolution and by many enlightenment thinkers, especially empiricists such as John Locke and David Hume.
Vroom stated "people consciously chose a particular course of action, based upon perceptions, attitudes, and beliefs as a consequence of their desires to enhance pleasure and avoid pain" (Vroom, 1964). The expectancy theory of motivation has three key components and focuses on three key relationships as well. The three key components of the expectancy theory of motivation are expectancy (effort-performance relationship), instrumentality (performance-reward relationship) and valence (rewards-personal goals relationship). The first key component is expectancy, which is the belief that if a worker can output a higher level of effort they will achieve better performance. An example of expectancy would be “if I work harder at work will I produce more than my co-workers”?
Utilitarian Theories Utilitarianism Utilitarianism is a normative ethical theory that places the locus of right and wrong solely on the outcomes (consequences) of choosing one action/policy over other actions/policies. As such, it moves beyond the scope of one's own interests and takes into account the interests of others. Bentham's Principle of Utility: (1) Recognizes the fundamental role of pain and pleasure in human life, (2) approves or disapproves of an action on the basis of the amount of pain or pleasure brought about i.e, consequences, (3) equates good with pleasure and evil with pain, and (4) asserts that pleasure and pain are capable of quantification (and hence 'measure'). In measuring pleasure and pain, Bentham introduces the following criteria: INTENSITY, DURATION, CERTAINTY (or UNCERTAINTY), and its NEARNESS (or FARNESS). He also includes its "fecundity" (will more of the same follow?)