Utility And Morals By John Stuart Mill - 1203 Words

Utility and Morals Imagine you are part of a plane crash, you and many other people, are trying to get on board of the only lifeboat that is available. Unfortunately it’s already carrying too much weight and you must decide who stays and who goes. Leaving the elderly people behind would be a wise decision since they have limited motor skills and in an environment of survival it might be a risk. If any of them happen to have a disability it will impact their rate of survival. In a situation as dire as the one presented it’s important to have the means necessary to secure the survival of many. â€Å"John Stuart Mill, by contrast, argued that the rules of right and wrong should above all else achieve the greatest good for the greatest number of†¦show more content†¦Elderly people can offer you many years of experience and wisdom, but at the same time they would have reached their limits with the aging of motor skills. In a harsh environment, it is necessary to be able to take care of oneself. Meaning that the group must obtain something of great importance from working with a group in question. Can I depend on this person to assist me when needed? Is this person beneficial to the group? You are doing this to improve the rate of survivability the group requires. Decisions are made for the benefits of both parties, not just your own. Hinman points out that â€Å"Basic insights of utilitarianism is that morality is about producing good consequences, not having good intentions†. Although Utilitarianism may seem like its intentions are set on how to solve the dilemma you encounter. It’s actually emphasized on the consequences that will arise from your decision. What will make the greatest amount of people happier in the long run? That is a key question Utility is used to answer. The highest number of people satisfied outweigh the number of those that will feel unsatisfied. Of course, this is only done by considering a large percent age. If you are given three options per say, sixty percent, seventy five percent or eighty five percent. Utility would want to use the option of eighty five because it has a higher number of people that will be satisfied for the greater good. It is imperative that you make any decision without personal interest.