What is consequentialism?

Consequentialism is an ethical theory holding that the morality of an action is judged solely by its consequences, where the best action is the one that produces the best overall outcomes. It prioritizes results—such as maximizing happiness or minimizing harm—over intentions or moral rules.

What is consequentialism in simple terms?

Consequentialism is a theory that says whether something is good or bad depends on its outcomes. An action that brings about more benefit than harm is good, while an action that causes more harm than benefit is not.

What is consequentialism vs utilitarianism?

Indeed, utilitarianism and consequentialism share many of the same tenets. One difference, however, is consequentialism does not specify a desired outcome, while utilitarianism specifies good as the desired outcome.

What is an example of act consequentialism?

Since the act consequentialist takes into account both the action itself and its consequences, one could say that the action of deliberately pulling the lever to kill one innocent person might produce worse consequences, since it might lead to a society where people start using murder as a tool to benefit others.

What are examples of consequential decisions?

Consequential decisions are those that carry substantial weight. These choices often involve critical matters that impact the company's future. Examples include determining the launch of a new product, selecting an investor, or assigning a company's marketing budget.

PHILOSOPHY - Ethics: Consequentialism [HD]

What is an example of consequentialism in real life?

Consequentialism is an ethical theory that judges whether or not something is right by what its consequences are. For instance, most people would agree that lying is wrong. But if telling a lie would help save a person's life, consequentialism says it's the right thing to do.

What is the most common form of consequentialism?

1. Classic Utilitarianism. The paradigm case of consequentialism is utilitarianism, whose classic proponents were Jeremy Bentham (1789), John Stuart Mill (1861), and Henry Sidgwick (1907).

What are the 4 basic types of ethical theories?

Four broad categories of ethical theory include deontology, utilitarianism, rights, and virtues. The deontological class of ethical theories states that people should adhere to their obliga- tions and duties when engaged in decision making when ethics are in play.

Who are some famous consequentialists?

Notable consequentialists

• R. M. Adams (born 1937)
• Jonathan Baron (born 1944)
• Jeremy Bentham (1748–1832)
• Richard B. Brandt (1910–1997)
• John Dewey (1857–1952)
• Julia Driver (1961– )
• Milton Friedman (1912–2006)
• David Friedman (born 1945)

What are the rules of consequentialism?

Rule-consequentialist decision procedure: At least normally, agents should decide what to do by applying rules whose acceptance will produce the best consequences, rules such as “Don't harm innocent others”, “Don't steal or vandalize others' property”, “Don't break your promises”, “Don't lie”, “Pay special attention to ...

What is another name for consequentialism?

The most well-known version of consequentialism is utilitarianism. Utilitarians believe that an act is morally right if and only if the act brings about at least as much well-being as every alternative act.

What are the three types of ethics?

Ethics is the philosophical study of moral phenomena. Also called moral philosophy, it investigates normative questions about what people ought to do or which behavior is morally right. Its main branches include normative ethics, applied ethics, and metaethics.

What are the 4 theories of utilitarianism?

Utilitarian theories share four elements: consequentialism, welfarism, impartiality, and aggregationism. Classical utilitarianism is distinctive because it accepts two additional elements: first, hedonism as a theory of well-being; second, the total view of population ethics.

How to use consequentialism in a sentence?

I have argued that a new version of the charge that consequentialism and friendship are incompatible is available.

What is the primary focus of consequentialist ethics?

Consequentialist ethics involves focusing on the consequences/outcome of an action or a decision, instead of the character of a person (virtue ethics) or universal application of a set of rules (deontological ethics).

What are common criticisms of consequentialism?

So interpreted, however, act-consequentialism can be criticized for running counter to our intuitive moral convictions in a number of ways. First, it seems excessively demanding; I shall only be acting rightly in so far as I maximize the good.

What is a real life example of consequentialism?

For example, killing one person to save five others would be considered moral according to this theory because it would result in greater overall happiness than if no one was killed.

Who is the most influential person in ethics?

Aristotle (384–322 BCE) — The Master of Logic and Science

From biology to ethics to politics, his influence is vast. Aristotle believed virtue lay in finding balance — the “Golden Mean” — and his work laid the foundation for scientific inquiry and rational thought.

Is Nietzsche a consequentialist?

His positive ethical views are best understood as combining (i) a kind of consequentialist perfectionism as Nietzsche's implicit theory of the good, with (ii) a conception of human perfection involving both formal and substantive elements.

What are the 4 pillars of ethics?

The Fundamental Principles of Ethics. Beneficence, nonmaleficence, autonomy, and justice constitute the 4 principles of ethics.

What is the golden rule in ethics?

The most familiar version of the Golden Rule says, “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” Moral philosophy has barely taken notice of the golden rule in its own terms despite the rule's prominence in commonsense ethics.

What is the ethical framework of consequentialism?

Consequentialism: results-based ethics

Consequentialism is based on two principles: Whether an act is right or wrong depends only on the results of that act. The more good consequences an act produces, the better or more right that act.

Who is the father of consequentialism?

The classical utilitarianism of Jeremy Bentham and John Stuart Mill represents the best‐known form of consequentialism (see utilitarianism; bentham, jeremy; mill, john stuart).

Are most people consequentialists?

► Consequentialism is the most fundamental ethics assumptions in welfare economics. ► Thus, the consequences rather than e.g. inherent rights are what matter intrinsically. ► Many philosophers have questioned consequentialism. ► Yet, the results from a Swedish survey suggest that most people are consequentialists.

What is an example of consequentialism in healthcare?

Consequentialism: “The ends justify the means', meaning whether something is ethically right is dependent on the outcome. e.g. You are a surgeon and you are about to anaesthetise a patient with a terminal illness for an operation, when they ask “am I going to be okay?”.