Utilitarianism essay

Utilitarianism essay

Utilitarianism, also referred to as the theory of happiness, can be termed as pleasure and freedom from pain. The doctrine that the foundation of morals is a utility or the utmost happiness principle grasps that actions are correct in an amount as they incline to promote happiness, incorrect in an amount as they incline to yield the reverse of happiness. Life has a no better object of desire than pleasure. Mental pleasures are better than the pleasures of the body. There are two types of pleasure, higher and lower pleasure. The greatness of pleasure is measured by quality and quantity as agreed upon by the majority. It is only in cases of extreme unhappiness that one might be willing to exchange that situation with any other regardless of how unpleasing they perceive it to be. Many people capable of higher pleasure sometimes prefer lower ones; this might be because they no longer enjoy the higher pleasures, or they cannot sustain them. Morality is the rule of conduct of human beings, and its end goal is to achieve happiness. We shall discuss utility at length below in relation to decision making.

I find South Georgia state college (SGSC) institution review board consideration provides a convincing argument because given the patients had given their consent, sacrificing one’s self for the sake of others, regardless of the outcome, is a virtue. Regardless of the unknown side effects of taking the drug, 400 individuals were ready to use an experimental drug so others would know how it reacts to human bodies with the disease. If the experimental drug, ebolagone, works, and cures them, 400 lives will be saved. Hopefully, the beginning of saving even more, if it goes wrong, the others with the disease will have a better chance of trying a better version of the drug. If the actions of the 400 patients are done from the motive of duty, as the theory suggests, it then obeys the utilitarian principle.

Utilitarianism goes hand in hand with the supreme will of God on morals as they both prioritize happiness. Through the past, humankind has, by experience, learned the effect of some of their actions on their happiness and those of others. By the readiness of the patients to take an experimental drug without knowing what the outcome will be or possibly long term side effects of the drug, it is a clear indication of utility as they are aware of what their decision could result in. The IRB also risks by suggesting to put all the patients on trial in a desire to achieve utility at the end. Two sanctions are present in the principle of utility, external, and internal sanctions. External sanctions being ones such as fear of not having pleasure from fellow human beings or God, the hope of favor, and the selfish quest is not portrayed by the decision made by the IRB and these patients.

The more cultivation and work is put on a particular sanction, whether good or bad, determines its strength. An internal sanction is a more or less intense pain that comes with violation of duty, regardless of what our standard responsibilities might be. It is a feeling that is in our very own mind. It can be referred to as consciousness. This can be seen in the view of the IRB and the patient’s willingness to attempt the trial drug, it is encoded deep within them and feels they should help settle the matter concerning the cure of Ebola. Their sanction is clearly and inclined towards utility as other people will benefit from it. The SGSC IRB also feels a sense of obligation towards these patients hence the decision in the hopes that they will all get an equal chance of survival.

Some people tend to think that those who believe in moral obligation tend to obey it more as opposed to those who believe it to be subjective as it is enrooted to human consciousness, but that’s not the case because whatever a person’s opinion may be on this metaphysical point, the force he has is urged by his subjective feeling as seen in the case of the patients, strexcorp and SGSC IRB. Each of them has a different opinion, but their end goal is the same, to attain utility. The strength of this feeling comes from the power of the force, driving them.

When the patients put their own lives on the line, the go-ahead having to be passed by the IRB of SGSC for the sake of an experiment, this changes other people’s lives, improving it even if the solution won’t have been found. By improving the lives of others and opening up new opportunities, happiness is generally achieved; hence utility is evident. Taking as an example, a man who has offered to take out a bomb and be blown possibly so others may live, people’s utility and gratitude will be physical evidence. It is quite evident by now that people need to experience something to consider it proven. Utility, in this case, is no exception. According to the utility theory, general happiness is suitable for all people and their aggregates. To prove this claim, we have to determine that people desire happiness. Happiness is the freedom from pain, good health, and the desire for pleasure e.g., music. These can be desired separately not necessarily as a collective but will play a role in the result of happiness as its self, happiness, and part of it.

Any form of desire humans have, desire for money, fame, music, etc. are all-inclusive in happiness. The willingness to strexcorp to come up with an experimental drug, ebolagone and IRB to administer it to all patients, to eradicate Ebola problem is a means to attaining happiness all together weather that was its primary objective or the desire to reduce pain was or maybe even desire for money. The end will be in favor of utility. Pain and pleasure often coexist together. If a human’s desire is not towards pleasure, it is against pain; hence happiness is the only end of human action and, therefore, a criterion of morality. Some patients may have agreed to the drug trial due to the desire to get away from pain, such as muscle pain. This is a demonstration of utility theory or, in other words, happiness theory as they don’t desire to experience the pain anymore. Some people want out of will while others will what they desire.

There is a belief that people believed what was just must have existed in nature. However, this instinct of justice needs to be enlightened by a higher reason. According to the SGSC IRB, it was only just to put all those who had volunteered for the experimental drug as the experimental group because most of the patients had a moral right to the trial drug since they had given their consent without being forced or influenced by anyone. In this case, equality is what the IRB is trying to practice as it seems just to everyone. When people think of justice, mostly law comes to mind; this is because it is the common origin of the word just. Whenever there is an injustice, people expect punishment to follow, either by law, his own conscious or the opinion of others. Justice and morality are related; just and unjust can be termed by others as wrong and right, which takes us back to utility theory.

In conclusion, utility being the theory of happiness which is so desired by every creature is the primary approach of the IRB given their stand about the number of patients to be administered by the experimental drug apart from their initial thought of restraining some patients from drugs that can possibly cure. They have tried to be just to these patients and, in so doing, promoted utility theory hypothetically. The patients have also played a part in reviling the utility theory either by their need to avoid pain or their desire for happiness by consenting to be the experimental group. Strexcorp had also played a vital role in the whole exercise, as they are the ones that came up with the drug. It is only right to say that utility is encrypted in every creature and is often seen regardless of anyone’s stand about it.