Act Utilitarianism: Calculating the Pleasures and Pain

1. Consider this case from the position of act utilitarianism and create a pleasure-

gained and pain-avoided list to see if you can determine whether Mr. Jimenez

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should continue or quit smoking.

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Utilitarianism is a consequentialist form of ethical theory that determines right from wrong
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based on its outcomes. Utilitarianism believes that the most ethical choice to be made is the one

that holds the greatest good or happiness for the greatest number of people. It is a belief that one
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ought to maximize happiness. This theory, then, questions whether an action is good or bad, ethi-
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cal or unethical. Jeremy Bentham, the founder of modern-day utilitarianism defined “good” as

being a matter of happiness and pleasure with the absence of pain and suffering (Cave, 2015).
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This belief is referred to as utility or the usefulness of an act, and to increase utility for the great-

est number of people equates to a moral act. It’s a belief that consequences are more important
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than the action itself.

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As act utilitarianism believes that the consequences are more important than the act itself,
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one must consider what the consequences would be if Mr. Jimenez were to continue his smoking

habits versus if he were to quit. If Mr. Jimenez continues to smoke, it would make him happier

and his family would enjoy the peace and joy it brings them as a result of his smoking habits. But

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 it would be at the great risk of Mr. Jimenez’s decline in health. Conversely, if Mr. Jimenez were

to quit smoking, it would make him irritable and unhappy, and his family life would become

more difficult as a result of his irritable behavior. So which of the two scenarios would have a

more negative consequence? Although many would disagree on this point, if we were to look at

this scenario strictly from the point of act utilitarianism, then it may be believed that continuation

of Mr. Jimenez’s smoking habits would result in the greatest ‘good’ or happiness for the greatest

number of people, as it would maximize happiness for everyone involved in the case. Further-

more, the happiness Mr. Jimenez gains from smoking would also alleviate the family’s pain of

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having to deal with his irritable moods. Therefore, from the act utilitarianism standpoint, he

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would be encouraged to continue his smoking habits for the greater good or happiness of himself

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and the family.
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Duty-Oriented Reasoning: A Matter of Principle

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1. Solve the problem using duty-oriented or principled reasoning. Remember that in

this form of reasoning, it is not the consequences that are considered but rather the
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principles involved.

An ethical theory that separates right from wrong based on rules and obligations is the
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foundation of the deontological belief. Based on this theory, one simply needs to abide by the
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rules and regulations that are outlined for them, without weighing the cost or benefits of its out-
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come. In this regard, it is one of the simpler theological concepts to comprehend, but the uncom-

promising rigidity of this theory may be deemed unacceptable by many individuals.

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 In the case study scenario, Joe is asked by his friend to conceal the truth of what had hap-

pened with the equipment, and out of his sense of duty to his friend, Juan, Joe agrees to help

switch out the equipment. But as deontological belief is rooted in a sense of duty and principles,

Joe should tell the truth to his boss when he’s asked why the broken equipment was sent for re-

pairs. Joe is bound by his duty to his friend, but he is also bound by duty to his boss. So which of

the two carries a heavier weight? In this case, it would be his sense of duty to his boss, as princi-

ple of the situation would also indicate that telling the truth would be the right thing to do. But

moreover, Joe’s biggest sense of duty would be, to tell the truth. As deontology would not con-

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sider the consequences of a potential loss of friendship, but rather, focus on the principle of the

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issue on hand, Joe would be obligated to tell the truth of what had really happened to his boss.

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2. What principles are involved in this case?
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The two main principles that are involved in this case study are the principle of utilitari-
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anism and the principle of deontology. According to the principle of utilitarianism, if Joe were to
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lie about the truth behind the broken equipment, it would ensure Juan’s happiness and would

benefit him greatly. However, according to the principle of deontology, Joe would be bound by
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his duty to tell the truth. Therefore, both of these principles are intricately involved in this case
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study.
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3. Do any of the principles involved conflict with each other?

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As stated above, the principle of utilitarianism and principle of deontology are in direct
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conflict of one another. By following the principle of utilitarianism, Joe would be in direct con-

flict of the principle of deontology, as it would prohibit him from telling the truth and from fol-

lowing his supervisor’s orders. These actions may result in keeping his friend happy, which

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 would be the result of the act utilitarian belief but would blatantly disregard the duty-bound be-

lief of deontology.

4. Do some principles have a higher value than others?

The value of each principle may differ for everyone and the situation one may find them-

selves in. If we were to take the example of Juan and Joe, one might value the principle of deon-

tology and veracity, and thus, would opt to tell the truth behind the broken environment. On the

other hand, some may value the principle of utilitarianism, and would opt not to tell the truth, so

that Juan remains happy and their friendship isn’t damaged by the act of telling the truth. Numer-

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ous different types of situation will arise in life, and every situation will have potentially differ-

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ent outcomes, depending on which principle one may decide to follow. Therefore, I think it’s im-

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portant to consider the context of the situation, assess the potential outcome of the said situation,
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then decide which principle should take higher priority. Given the countless number of issues
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and situations an individual may encounter in their lives, it may be unwise to be too rigid on any
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singular principle belief.

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