Assignment 1 Essay

Part A
Aim of ethical theory
Ethical theories evaluate actions. They propose reasons for whether an action is ethically good or bad and provide arguments for how we should value people in our actions. They will support actions by offering arguments and definitions of what counts as acting ethically. (Open Polytechnic, 2013)
Theories help to make sense of the moral issues and they lead conclusions that will make sense logically and practically. (Thompson, 2010)) They provide the basis for saying something is morally right or wrong and considers actual situations. (Thompson, 2010).
Ethical theory helps justify right actions by introducing clarity, substance and precision of argument into morality. It helps resolve conflicts and inconsistencies with people’s beliefs and different cultures. The term ethical theory is reserved for theories that include reflection and criticism of social morality. (Beauchamp & Bowie, 1997)
It helps decide cases in which the moral institution of people differs when two or more moral rules will conflict with each other. A general moral rule can lead to an immoral action. The theory in these cases will help apply which rules are moral and which aren’t. They can be useful for people trying to resolve difficult moral issues that one can face. It will also help the individual justify their reasons for their moral decision. (De George, 1995)
Ethical theory attempts to justify conventional morality, it is evaluated in terms of how well it explains the result, the interrelation of ethical theory continues until it reaches equilibrium. (De George, 1995)
Incompatibility
Searching for a completely satisfactory theory is impossible. This makes ethical theory incompatible. People don’t all agree on any one particular theory, there are always disagreements to some aspects of the theory. (De George, 1995)
Different theories express fundamentally incompatible claims with what counts as acting morally. The different ideas as to WHY something is ethically good is different in each, for example Utilitarianism believes moral goodness is in the consequence of the action, Kantian believes it is the Principle behind the action and Virtue Ethics believes it is the Concept of a virtuous character. The different theories disagree with what the right action would be. (Open Polytechnic, 2013).

Utilitarianism
Utilitarianism is an ethical theory. It is a theory that believes an action is right if it produces the greatest good for the greatest amount of people involved by the action. In this theory we should evaluate an action by looking at its consequences. If the good outweighs the bad then it is a good action and if the bad outweighs the good then it is a bad action. (De George, 1995)
There is an assumption that our good counts for no more than anyone else’s and anyone else good any more than our own. (De George, 1995)
E.g. If you break a contract and use the Utilitarianism approach you affect yourself and also the person or persons in the contract. You would sum up the good and bad with considering the people affected. You would calculate the effect on the people directly concerned with the breaking of the contract. You would consider all those less affected directly by this. The number may be large but actually less effected in intensity and the good and bad done to the people would be totalled. The final result will determine the morality of the action. If it produces more good than bad then it is then morally right. (De George, 1995)
Utilitarian’s believe that the purpose of morality is promoting human welfare by minimising harm and maximising the benefits. (Beauchamp & Bowie, 1997)
There are two sources of Utilitarian thinking, normative foundation and psychological foundation. The normative ethical theory is the greatest happiness principle which is freedom from pain and that is desirable in the effect that it promotes pleasure and it prevents pain. The psychological foundation believes most people desire unity

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Assignment 3 Assignment 1

P1 Assignment 1 Assignment