The Major Theory Of Ethics: Utilitarianism

The major theory of ethics that this argument relies on is Utilitarianism.
Utilitarianism (U) is characterised by carrying out an action to produce the greatest amount of good (or “utility”) for the greatest number of people, regardless of whether or not the action is right or wrong. The word “good” is defined as a sense of satisfaction, gain or welfare – according to the Oxford Dictionary and Thesaurus. Alternatively, the theory focuses on reducing the total amount of harm imposed on the greatest number of people. Viewing this theory from either perspective will generate an overall positive outcome. For an argument to be purely Utilitarian, the following three requisites must be met – the consequences of the act should have an overall positive value (which in turn determines the ethics of the act); this value of the consequences is then assessed by the amount of overall utility produced and essentially there needs to be “impartiality - where each person’s happiness must equate another’s happiness.
The utility present in this argument is general “welfare”; for the organ recipients, organ donors and their respective families. Alternatives to the word welfare, by definition, is “well-being” or “organised help given to people in need” – according to the Oxford Dictionary and Thesaurus. Upon analysis of each requisite, it is evident that welfare is illustrated in some form or another.
To address the first element of U, the writer mentions that the lives of the ill-patients