Medical Ethics

Full Answer Section

In other words, consequentialists believe that the ends justify the means, while non-consequentialists believe that the means are also important, regardless of the ends.

Here is one of the major theories associated with consequentialism: utilitarianism. Utilitarianism holds that the right action is the one that produces the greatest happiness for the greatest number of people.

One objection to utilitarianism is that it can justify actions that seem intuitively wrong. For example, utilitarianism might say that it is permissible to lie to someone if doing so would lead to a greater overall happiness. This could be difficult to accept, especially if the lie is harmful to the person being lied to.

Another objection to utilitarianism is that it is difficult to measure happiness. How do we know what makes one person happier than another? And how do we compare the happiness of different people? These are difficult questions that utilitarianism has not yet been able to answer satisfactorily.

Despite these objections, utilitarianism remains one of the most influential consequentialist theories. It has been used to justify a wide range of policies, from social welfare programs to environmental regulations.

Here are some other major theories associated with consequentialism:

• Hedonism holds that the right action is the one that produces the most pleasure or the least pain.
• Preference utilitarianism holds that the right action is the one that maximizes the satisfaction of people's preferences.
• Rule utilitarianism holds that the right action is the one that follows a rule that would produce the most happiness if everyone followed it.

Non-consequentialist theories also have their own set of objections. For example, one objection to deontology is that it can lead to inflexible and impractical rules. For example, a deontologist might argue that it is always wrong to lie, even if lying would save someone's life. This could be difficult to accept in some cases.

Another objection to non-consequentialism is that it can be subjective. What one person considers to be a duty or rule, another person might not. This can make it difficult to reach consensus on moral issues.

Despite these objections, non-consequentialist theories remain important in ethics. They provide a way to think about morality that is not based solely on the consequences of our actions.

Ultimately, the choice of whether to adopt a consequentialist or non-consequentialist approach to ethics is a matter of personal preference. There is no right or wrong answer, and each approach has its own strengths and weaknesses.

Sample Answer

Consequentialism judges the rightness or wrongness of an action based on its consequences. The best action is the one that produces the most good or the least harm.

Non-consequentialism judges the rightness or wrongness of an action based on intrinsic features of the action itself, such as whether it violates a duty or rule, or whether it is motivated by good intentions.