Act Utilitarianism
. Utilitarianism
Utilitarianism is an ethical framework that leads us to act taking in consideration what is useful, beneficial and make the majority of people happy. It takes in account the consequences of our behavior and not the act or the means by itself. There are two types of Utilitarianism: The Rule-utilitarians and the Act-utilitarian. The Rule-utilitarians stablish that every person should follow rules that have been implemented for the good and happiness of the society. The Act-utilitarians do not focus on implementing rules but rather on the single actions and their consequences.
Utilitarianism is useful for developing ethical arguments that justify the suffering of some for the happiness of the majority. For example public policy
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(Johnson p. 42) that is the intention of the actions. It does not consider the consequences of an act, and it does not matter if the consequences benefits one person or many. Kant’s categorical imperative- “Treat people as an end, never merely as a means to an end.”( Johnson p. 44)-emphasizes the responsibility of treating people as a “moral” and “rational” ( Johnson p.44) beings that should not be used to our own benefit but as a people that have their own desires.
Deontology is useful for developing ethical arguments that exalt individuals as an intelligent, and capable of taking correct moral decisions (Johnson p.43)
c. Rawls ' Social Justice
Rawls ' Social Justice is an ethical theory that define justice as “what people would choose when they are rational, self-interested and behind the veil of ignorance” (Johnson p. 48). Rawls’ theory of justice has two main ideas: first, everybody has the “equal right” to liberty, and second, “social and economic inequalities are to be arranged so that they are both (a) reasonably expected to be to everyone 's advantage, and (b) attached to positions and offices open to all”( p. 48). The main purpose of this rules is to give “liberty and opportunity” (p. 48) to everybody in our society.
Rawls ' Social Justice pretend to build a society where every individual deserve to have liberty and opportunities to advance to a better socioeconomic
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