Utilitarianism
This is a theory that is focused on the net greater happiness of people and the majority win no matter the consequence if it brings happiness and pleasure. It also focuses on the principle of utility to make sure everyone’s opinion and interest are put into consideration and being intellective enable one to enjoy and make sensible decisions. To reach hedonism, one must hold a good life and avoid distress by making sure that one’s delighted mentally and filled with peace. This theory also embraced women by allowing them to vote and be considered as equal in decision making. The actions made by individuals fall under the act of utilitarianism which considers each act and its consequence. There are also rules that need to be follow in the rule of utilitarianism to achieve the goal of happiness and pleasure. the morality behind this theory is that we learn by observing and experience on how to be good John Stuart Mill explained” actions are right in proportion as they lead to promote happiness and are wrong as they lead to promote the reverse of happiness”
Strengths
Democratic decision making based on what produces the greatest number of happiness is key to Unitarianism. Every opinion is considered equally no matter the social or affiliation one is attached with. As a utilitarian, the reason why happiness is an aim for the majority is that every decision made is put into consideration and looked carefully into based on the outcome of the consequence. Anything that triggers most of the happiness to sadness is not accepted. There are no specific beliefs nor rules when it comes to decision making because the goal is to make the greatest number happy to achieve hedonic calculus for the greatest happiness. Happiness brings about harmony and you flourish which is good for one’s health and stability without the distraction of the unknown. Utilitarianism is a universal theory that the principles of actions should be right if it’s promoting happiness even in a situation where there is right and wrong if the effects bring about happiness then that’s the right decision.
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Weaknesses
In as much as happiness is an aim for utilitarianism theory, you cannot base happiness based on the majority reason being that what makes one happy may not make the other happy. This is subjecting people to lack of freedom and decision making based on the majority winning practice. You can’t calculate happiness and determine what’s good for one in terms of the greater number. Utilitarianism tries to predict the outcome and the effects in decision making by weighing the outcome and deciding by concluding on that which make the majority happy without considering the few whose feelings may be hurt by the actions made, even if it is right or wrong. This theory also talks about “the ends don’t justify the means” You cannot justify the killing of one person to save five people by donating organs to save the lives to justify your actions. The bottom line is one-person life is worth saving which is also wrong because that person is also entitled to live regardless of the reason.
Virtue Ethics
Virtue ethics is a theory that focuses on character, good behavior traits and how one is supposed to behave morally other than focusing on consequences like utilitarianism. One’s character traits and altitudes determine one’s good life which is called the eudemonia as the end goal that brings happiness. These moral values can be achieved through practice in everyday life l and how one handles conflicts in every situation. These character trends are compassion, kindness, respect.
Strength
Good character traits are a strength that is morally good because good behavior and respect for others bring about happiness and peace with people around you. It also motivates those around you to do great things as a team and enables one to contribute to the community by having high regard with personal relationships and consider other people’s feelings by being self-aware in a sensitive way. This attribute betters’ people by being generous, kind, and compassionate with one another and the society at large. Virtue ethics also brings about harmony because morality focuses on the approach of character traits and emotions instead of focusing on consequences or obligation. Emotions must be genuine in virtue ethics otherwise it defeats the purpose due to personal interest like the theory of egoism which focuses on self-interest. The other thing you must consider is Virtue ethics is the “golden mean which states that choose courage as the mean between rashness and cowardice in a situation”. Habits in virtue ethics play a vital role in regards with one being consistent in the manner which they make decisions without being biased but rather be honest and knowledgeable.
Weakness
Virtue ethics has a weakness in terms of limiting one’s perspective by focusing on the good character that other people must be made happy other than yourself since you will be looked at as an egoistic who has self-interest. Behaviors and characters’ also come about to play a weaker role reason being that different cultures and societies have different opinions on what is acceptable and not; People have different perspectives when it comes to what is considered acceptable in one society to the other hence it’s difficult to make that determination. Here what is considered moral action by the law may be unacceptable in virtue ethics like in a case of murder which virtue ethics would look at this action as immoral. Also, one person’s character is judged based on the behaviors other than judging the actions and the effects it has on others around you
Comparison
The two theories utilitarianism and Virtue ethics both have their strength and weaknesses but overall, I would say both are good ethical theories because they focus on different aspects but achieve the same goal of happiness. Utilitarianism aims at maxim
