Essay Questions

1. Essay Question: Rule vs Act Utilitarianism (Utilitarianism)

Suppose that you were wondering whether you, as a doctor, should hug a
patient who is in tears. Give an ethical analysis of pros and cons from an act
utilitarian point of view. The given an analysis from a rule utilitarian point of
view.
 The example of ethical analysis of pros and cons from an act utilitarian
point of view. Pros, it focuses on happiness and its is down to earth –
where to build a prison, where to treat drug addicts, the methadone
-programmed. Cons, it is not practical – to much energy gone into
every moral decision, ignore our sense of duty, and the problem of
moral luck – the effects decides whether the action is moral or not.
 The rule-utilitarian might defend the theory by saying that it is beneficial
to follow the rule in most cases, so the general good is still increased
when looking at a series of situations. Another reply might be that it is
better that everybody follows the rule than that nobody should, as the
latter situation would certainly not be beneficial to the greater good of
all.
2. Essay Question: (Case Scenario Utilitarianism)

Suppose that rosa moves away her children out of town because, based on
the information she has gathered, she believes the move will be the best for
the children and larger family in the long run and she wants to do her duty by
them. Imagine the two scenarios. Scenario 1: The result of action are mostly
positive for the family (and inspirational to their friends), because Rosa’s
knowledge good and nothing unexpectedly negative happens. Scenario 2:
The results are greatly positive despite the fact that Rosa didn’t know very
much, purely by luck. Scenario 3: The results are greatly positive mostly
because Rosa worked hard to make the move a good one. Would
Utilitarianism evaluate each act as having identical moral worth? Explain. Do
you agree with the Utilitarian analysis?

 Yes, because according to my research Utilitarian’s believe that the

purpose of morality is to make life better by increasing the amount of
 good things. And rosa wants to move her children’s out of town
because she believes that moving away from the town is the best way
to their children.
 Yes, I agree with Utilitarian analysis because in my own perspective for
example I choose to go out with my friends to be happy but I have time
limit and if I did not follow the time given to me I have a consequence
because for me every action are have a consequence maybe it is good
or bad consequence it depends on your action.
3. Essay Question: (Case Scenario)
Suppose that rosa moves away her children out of town because, based on
the information she has gathered, she believes the move will be the best for
the children and larger family in the long run and she wants to do her duty by
them. As it turns out through no fault of her own, the children suffer greatly
because of the move and the cost/benefit analysis after 2 1/2 years shows that
the pain outweighs the pleasure. Suppose that 5 years later, a re-evaluation
of the act in comparison to how alternative actions would have played out
shows that her action, in fact, produced much more good than the other
alternatives. Do you think that we should (1) evaluate Rosa’s action as having
been a good one, because it ended up being good (2) say we won’t really
know whether it was good yet because something painful might still happen,
or (3) say the act was first bad, then good, but might be good or bad later,
depending on how things turn out. Or would you give another evaluation?
Justify.
 In no. 1, I think I can evaluate Rosa’s action as a good one and ended
up being good because she wants to move their children out of town
because she believes that moving away from town is the best for their
children.
 In no. 2, I can say that in life we do not know when our problems in life
will come and, in our life, we cannot remove the struggles because for
me its ok to have experience the struggle in life to make all learn in life.
 In no. 3, as I say in no. 2 we don’t know when the problems in our life
will come maybe its good in first or bad but the important is you learn
from your mistakes or problems and the good thing that we need to do
 if ever we experience this situation is to make ourselves stronger than
the problems we are facing.
4. Essay Question: Evaluating Ethical Theories
Having seen arguments concerning the various morally controversial issues,
and the applications of the different ethical theories to them, do you think that
one ethical approach is better than the others (i.e., based on ability to
consistently address more issues, based on its ability to give a really good
answer on the issue that is most important to you etc.)? Justify your answer.
 Ethical approach is good but I cannot say that the ethical approach is
better than the others because it depends on our situation or
experience in life maybe the ethical approach is the best for the one
situation and the other one is the best for others because not all action
is focusing in one side we need to see all sides.