UY, JONAS ANGELO A.

BS CUSTOMS ADMINISTRATION

Many ideas about nature, knowledge, politics, and philosophy were covered in my Ethics subject
after a semester of lessons. Too many concepts equate to having too much knowledge, however
despite the vast number of concepts that have been introduced to us, some have remained in my
mind and even in my being. And among them, the idea of utilitarianism had a profound effect or,
to put it another way, became deeply ingrained in my mind. However, before we discuss how it
became "engraved on my mind," let's first discuss the idea itself.

Utilitarianism is a theory based on the tenet that "actions are right in proportion as they tend to
promote happiness, wrong as they tend to produce the reverse of happiness," according to John
Stuart Mill, one of the founders of utilitarianism. In this way, happiness is a result of actions, and
on the same way, the rightness and wrongness of an act is determined whether the action
promotes or decreases happiness.

Of all the concepts in Ethics I choose utilitarianism, but why? Why not the doctrine of
moderation or the idea of freedom? But one of my favorites is the Doctrine of Moderation. I'm
not an exception to the rule that many of us act in ways that are self-serving. Yet, this is typical.
After all, we are greedy human beings. Life is what it is. Not you, but my life is what it is. Every
one of us is unique. Don't lose sight of the fact that we are social beings as well. that whatever
we do has an impact on others around us, and that my actions have an impact on those around
me. Utilitarianism's emphasis on the ideal life serves as a reminder that "No man is an island"
and that we are all a member of a social network. I have responsibilities as a member of a social
group, one of which is to live up to utilitarianism's catchphrase: "Act in such a way that benefits
most," not just myself, my family, or my friends, but most. The first thought that comes to mind
whenever we are constrained by circumstances or when we must act or decide is whether or not
it would benefit us personally. This is a totally natural thought process. But utilitarianism teaches
us to be unselfish and to evaluate what action will be for the better good of the broader people,
not to be selfish or egoistic. This teaches me to be selfless rather than selfish. I will freely
acknowledge that I am a selfish person. I often act in ways that will be to my advantage, but this
idea has taught me to consider others as well as myself to determine who will gain most from my
actions. Consideration of everyone's enjoyment, not just our own, is required by utilitarianism.