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Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Utilitarianism'
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1
Soifer, Eldon. "Right-based utilitarianism." Thesis, University of Oxford, 1988. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.253795.
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Yapp, Brian. "Utilitarianism and education." Thesis, University of Nottingham, 1990. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.327225.
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Crisp, Roger. "Ideal utilitarianism : theory and practice." Thesis, University of Oxford, 1988. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.253770.
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Schmidt-Petri, Christoph Johann. "An examination of J.S. Mill's 'Utilitarianism'." Thesis, London School of Economics and Political Science (University of London), 2005. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.413492.
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Hurtado, Jimena. "Ezequiel Rojas: Between Utilitarianism and Ideology." Economía, 2015. http://repositorio.pucp.edu.pe/index/handle/123456789/117054.
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Political economy played a central role in the construction of the new Republic of Colombia through the influence of Ezequiel Rojas. In his pursuit of theoretical and practical guidance to organize a new society of free individuals pledged to happiness, Rojas looked to political economy for inspiration. However, the sources that Rojas drew on did not belong to the tradition of classical political economy; he based his own approach on other, less traditional sources; namely utilitarianism and ideology. In this text I aim to reconstruct this approach, showing its tensions and contradictions and the way in which Rojas tried to address them through religion.La economía política jugó un papel importante en la construcción de la nueva República de Colombia en cabeza de Ezequiel Rojas. En busca de elementos teóricos y prácticos para organizar una nueva sociedad de individuos libres y destinados a la felicidad, Rojas buscó en la economía política inspiración. Sin embargo, no era la economía política clásica la que Rojas difundía en sus enseñanzas. Rojas construyó su propia propuesta a partir de tradiciones e influencias menos usuales: el utilitarismo y la ideología. En este texto pretendo reconstruir esa propuesta, mostrando sus tensiones y contradicciones y la manera como Rojas intentó conciliarse recurriendo a la religión.
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Coetzee, Pieter Hendrik. "Form and substance in R.M. Hare's utilitarianism." Thesis, Rhodes University, 1992. http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1002836.
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Throughout his career as moral philosopher Hare has insisted that there is a rational way of arriving at substantive moral judgements. Hare develops this view - first presented in ' The language of morals' (1952) and ' Universalizability' (1955) - into the claim that rational agents are required to adopt utilitarian solutions to moral disputes. In ' Freedom and reason ' (1963) this claim is defended with reference to the view that the formal features of moral language (universalizability and prescriptivity)commit moral agents to a certain method of reasoning, and that this method of reasoning, when conjoined with facts about people's desires and preferences, leads us to accept substantive moral judgements consistent with those required by a form of utilitarianism. This view features throughout Hare's subsequent work, but the argument for it undergoes change. This means change in the defence of the claim that the meta-theory Universal Prescriptivism is consistent with a form of normative utilitarian theory, as this claim is argued for in 'Ethical theory and utilitarianism' (1976) and 'Moral Thinking' (1981). I shall endeavour to trace the chronological development of Hare's thinking, and will concentrate on developments in the argument for a theory of act-utilitarianism. I shall argue that the argument for utilitarianism gives rise to two major problems which arise from a specific feature of the argument, namely, the attempt to run the resolution of bi-lateral and multi-lateral cases of conflict along lines analogous to the resolution of conflict in the single-person case. Hare's argument requires that a decision-maker must identify the person with whom he reverses roles as himself, and that he must be prepared to concede that the things his recipient has good reasons for wanting are also reasons for him to want the same things. I argue that it is not possible to make coherent sense of the identity of the person in the reversed-role situation and that the motivational states a decision -maker is expected to deem 'his own' are not properly states of himself. If I am right, the 'identity'-question sits at the root of a motivational gap in Hare's theory.
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Qing, Feng. "Utilitarianism, reform, and architecture : Edinburgh as exemplar." Thesis, University of Edinburgh, 2009. http://hdl.handle.net/1842/3430.
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Although the utilitarian character of modern architecture has been widely recognized, the relationship between Utilitarianism and architectural practice has not been adequately discussed. This thesis intends to contribute to this area with a historical study of the interaction of Utilitarianism and architectural practice in the social reforms of 18th and 19th century Britain. Edinburgh is used as an example to illuminate this historical process in more detail. From three angles: prison, poor relief and elementary education, this thesis discusses how Utilitarians influenced the reform process and how architecture was used as significant instruments to promote the reform schemes designed by Bentham and his followers. In prison reform, Bentham created the architectural model of the Panopticon to build a new punishment system based on disciplined prisons which could harmoniously align individual interest and public interest. He later introduced the same ideology and the Panopticon model into poor relief reform. Through the works of his followers, especially Edwin Chadwick, these Utilitarian ideas largely shaped the new poor relief system in Britain. Similar steps were later followed in elementary education reform. Together with the establishment of the national systems of poor relief and elementary education, a large volume of institutional buildings such as workhouses and board schools came into being, and many of them are still affecting our modern life. Based on these examples, this thesis ends with a theoretical discussion of the inadequacy of Utilitarianism as a complete ethical theory. Contrary to the optimism of Bentham and his 19th century followers, Utilitarianism is insufficient to be a practical guidance for everyday life. This inadequacy determines that Utilitarianism cannot provide a firm ethical foundation for architecture.
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冼偉林 and Wai-lam William Sin. "The limits of utilitarianism: on prerogativesand constraints." Thesis, The University of Hong Kong (Pokfulam, Hong Kong), 1997. http://hub.hku.hk/bib/B31219871.
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De, Bres Helena. "Globalizing utilitarianism : distributive justice beyond the state." Thesis, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2007. http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/41700.
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Thesis (Ph. D.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Linguistics and Philosophy, 2007.Includes bibliographical references (p. 165-173).
This dissertation develops and defends a utilitarian approach to global distributive justice: that part of political ethics that is concerned with the distribution of benefits and burdens across the members of distinct societies. Surprisingly little has been written by utilitarians, or by welfare consequentialists in general, on this topic. Many philosophers believe that utilitarianism is incapable of arriving at morally acceptable conclusions concerning global distributive justice, to the extent that it does not merit serious consideration in philosophical debates in the area. The central thesis of the dissertation is that that view is mistaken, and that utilitarianism in fact provides an attractive and useful way of conceiving of our global distributive duties. The main argument begins by distinguishing three types of goal at which principles of distributive justice might be directed. One such goal is the attainment by individuals of a minimally decent level of welfare, a second the treatment of individuals in accordance with norms of fairness, a third the obtaining of a certain degree of equality across individuals, for reasons independent of the first two goals. I then consider whether or not there is a utilitarian case for each of these goals at the global level. I argue that, while the utilitarian case for global equality per se is currently weak, a concern at the global level both for what I call "decency" and for distributive fairness can and should be incorporated into the framework of utilitarianism. I present an account of precisely what form these goals ought to take at the global level, how they intersect with concerns about domestic distributive justice and collective self-determination, and how they translate into duties on the part of individual states and international institutions.
(cont.) I also draw out the implications of the resulting principles and duties for some specific aspects of global political economy and international law (including trade in goods, services and ideas; development; and immigration). The result is a distinctive conception of the ground, scope and content of global distributive justice that I hope will appeal, at least in part, to utilitarians and non-utilitarians alike.
by Helene de Bres.
Ph.D.
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Sin, Wai-lam William. "The limits of utilitarianism : on prerogatives and constraints /." Hong Kong : University of Hong Kong, 1997. http://sunzi.lib.hku.hk/hkuto/record.jsp?B18861830.
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Grenfell, Michael. "Mill's 'very simple principle' : liberty, utilitarianism and socialism." Thesis, London School of Economics and Political Science (University of London), 1991. http://etheses.lse.ac.uk/1172/.
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The thesis aims to examine the political consequences of applying J.S. Mill's "very simple principle" of liberty in practice: whether the result would be free-market liberalism or socialism, and to what extent a society governed in accordance with the principle would be free. 2 Contrary to Mill's claims for the principle, it fails to provide a clear or coherent answer to this "practical question". This is largely because of three essential ambiguities in Mill's formulation of the principle, examined in turn in the three chapters of the thesis. 3 First, Mill is ambivalent about whether liberty is to be promoted for its intrinsic value, or because it is instrumental to the achievement of other objectives, principally the utilitarian objective of "general welfare". The possibility that he might mean the latter implies that, because liberty and utilitarian objectives are at least potentially incompatible, application of the principle does not preclude the sacrifice of individual liberty in the pursuit of general welfare, and therefore does not preclude paternalistic (and illiberal) state socialism. 4 Arguments advanced by commentators, notably Gray, to suggest that there is no inconsistency between the liberal and utilitarian objectives in Mill's writing, are not sustainable. 5 Secondly, the principle's criterion for sanctioning interference in liberty - the prevention of "harm to others" - is so vague and elastic as to be compatible with almost any degree of interventionism and indeed totalitarianism. Because of the interdependence of men in society, there is virtually no limit to the classes of activity which can be said to cause harm to others, and hence no limits to the interference sanctioned by Mill's principle. Thus the principle does not preclude the suppression of legitimate economic activity by a socialist state committed to preventing economic "harm". 6 Attempts by commentators such as Rees and Ten to show that Mill's use of "harm" is narrower and more specific, are not supported by either textual or logical analysis. 7 Thirdly, Mill's principle fails to make clear whether "liberty" should be understood to mean classical ("negative") liberty or some form of "positive liberty" such as ability/power. It therefore does not preclude the adoption of socialist measures to promote "ability". On examination, "ability" can be seen to be an entirely different phenomenon from liberty. The promotion of "ability" (attainable through central allocation of material resources) can only be undertaken at the expense of liberty, particularly economic liberty. The justification for safeguarding economic liberty lies in respect for private property rights, the absence of which entails enslavement and inhumanity. 8 If a principle were to be framed avoiding these three ambiguities, it could serve as a firmer foundation for the protection and promotion of liberty.
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Kath, Robyn. "Shortfall Utilitarianism: a theory for variable population decisions." Thesis, The University of Sydney, 2016. http://hdl.handle.net/2123/16733.
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In this dissertation I propose a novel utilitarian moral theory, Shortfall Utilitarianism (SU). The main advantage of SU over more familiar versions of utilitarianism (including totalist, averagist, and harm-minimising versions) is that it agrees with several common intuitions about variable population decisions. These intuitions concern ‘the Asymmetry’, ‘the non-identity problem’, and ‘the repugnant conclusion’. According to SU one ought to minimise two kinds of worseness among available outcomes. Intersectional worseness is a matter of how well the people who exist in both of a pair of outcomes fare in those outcomes. Complementary worseness is a matter of how well the people who exist in either (but not both) of a pair of outcomes fare in those outcomes. Underpinning these two kinds of worseness are many respects of (standardly structured) betterness among outcomes. Very roughly, minimising intersectional and complementary worseness amounts to minimising the extent to which people’s lives are worse, in certain respects, than what might have happened instead. Part of what makes SU a utilitarian theory is that it treats fixed population decisions in the standard utilitarian way. It also has three further characteristics required of a utilitarian theory: it is a consequentialist, axiological, welfarist theory. As I define them, these characteristics do not require an overall betterness relation among outcomes. According to SU there is no such relation, which is part of what enables SU to deal intuitively with variable population decisions. My secondary goal in the dissertation is to encourage further exploration of the utilitarian possibilities that rejecting the overall betterness requirement opens up.
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Joardar, Koushik. "The Problem of free will : an approach of utilitarianism." Thesis, University of North Bengal, 2003. http://hdl.handle.net/123456789/70.
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Kelly, Paul Joseph. "Utilitarianism and distributive justice : Jeremy Bentham and the civil law." Thesis, University College London (University of London), 1988. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.722688.
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Hamilton, Lawrence. "The significance of need : a political conception." Thesis, University of Cambridge, 2001. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.272719.
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Moore, Harry L. "The adjudication of utilitarianism and rights in the sphere of health care /." Full-text version available from OU Domain via ProQuest Digital Dissertations, 1998.
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White, Donna Gayle. "Benthamite utilitarianism and law reform in Canada: A criminal law perspective." Thesis, University of Ottawa (Canada), 1991. http://hdl.handle.net/10393/7756.
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Loizides, Antis. "Plato's influence on British utilitarianism : The case of John Stuart Mill." Thesis, Queen Mary, University of London, 2011. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.535779.
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Cahill, John Patrick. "Virtue as a means to happiness in John Stuart Mill's Utilitarianism." Online full text .pdf document, available to Fuller patrons only, 2003. http://www.tren.com.
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Simonette, Adam. "Flawed logic and shallow utilitarianism: Torture and the ticking bomb scenario." Thesis, Simonette, Adam (2011) Flawed logic and shallow utilitarianism: Torture and the ticking bomb scenario. Honours thesis, Murdoch University, 2011. https://researchrepository.murdoch.edu.au/id/eprint/6303/.
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The debate over the efficacy of torture is ongoing. When faced with an emergency situation, such as a bomb about to explode in a densely populated area, should the state resort to torture if the suspect in custody refuses to divulge any information? Should democratic governments allow for the use of interrogational torture as a last resort? Does torture in emergency situations have the potential to maximise human rights and the well-being of the community? These are some of the important questions addressed in the thesis.
Some of the proponents claim that it can be morally justified, and that the use of torture could maximise the liberty of the citizens of the nation. However, torture is not a maximisation of liberty. It does not improve the common good. Torture cannot be justified by any government – morally or otherwise. I will consider the practical and moral arguments made by Dershowitz, Bagaric and Clarke. I will argue torture cannot be justified because of the problems with the ticking bomb scenario and the serious societal effects torture has. I will then consider the impact of interrogational torture on human rights and argue that it is an absolute violation of liberty. Finally, I will argue that the torture proponents’ arguments that are centred on utilitarianism are shallow and are a misapplication of utilitarian theory.
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Su, Huei-chun. "Economic justice and liberty : the social philosophy in John Stuart Mill's utilitarianism." Thesis, University of Exeter, 2007. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.440335.
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Chen, Chien-Kang. "Hume's conservative utilitarianism : an interpretation of David Hume's political and moral philosophy." Thesis, London School of Economics and Political Science (University of London), 2012. http://etheses.lse.ac.uk/569/.
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The thesis aims to recover Hume’s connection with utilitarianism. It is argued that Hume is best interpreted as a conservative utilitarian, and this is intended to be a corrective to recent approaches in Hume scholarship. Nowadays the view that Hume is one of the founders of modern utilitarianism is undermined by two views: one sees Hume as a conventionalist contractarian who is the follower of Hobbes, another situates Hume in the Scottish Enlightenment and emphasises his resemblance to Hutcheson. The thesis does not deny that Hume’s political philosophy is influenced by these philosophers. Instead, it is because these views are regarded as providing an exhaustive account of Hume that the thesis aims to challenge them. What is crucial to contemporary Hume studies is a more balanced interpretation of Hume, and this is to be found in the traditional approach which sees Hume as a utilitarian. The thesis is original because, although it recovers a traditional approach, it relates it to contemporary debate by showing that the late 20th century concern to avoid seeing everything through the eyes of utilitarianism has obscured the genuine utilitarian elements of Hume’s political philosophy. The resurgence of interest in the problems of utilitarianism is part of the legacy of post-Rawlsian political theory. Philosophers the thesis criticises such as Gauthier and Barry both follow Rawls in marginalising the contribution of utilitarianism to liberalism. For scholars, the traditional interpretation of Hume should be rejected if Hume’s political philosophy is to be secured, thus they found it on the basis of social contract. The thesis challenges them on two grounds. First, it illustrates that more similarities are to be identified between Hume and Locke. Second, it argues that Hume is best interpreted as founding the school succeeded by Burke and Sidgwick, which has impact on contemporary utilitarianism and philosophical debates.
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Stauffer, Andrew Ryan Douglas. "The Repugnant Conclusion: An Assessment and Critique of Utilitarianism as Applied to Future Populations." Ohio University / OhioLINK, 2012. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ohiou1342623155.
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Walters, Timothy. "Empathy for education : a naturalist utilitarian argument." Thesis, University of Bath, 2016. https://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.675741.
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Richter, Andrea. "The moral status of animals within the framework of Peter Singer's preference utilitarianism." Master's thesis, Faculdade de Ciências Sociais e Humanas, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, 2012. http://hdl.handle.net/10362/7746.
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Dissertação apresentada para cumprimento dos requisitos necessários à obtenção do grau de Mestre em FilosofiaNa história da filosofia, a filosofia animal foi sempre filosofia antropológica em negativo, porque a questão do que é um animal foi substancialmente dependente da noção de humano e vice-versa. Desde o princípio da institucionalização da bioética e a publicação contemporânea do "Animal Liberation" - o elemento fundacional do debate e movimento actual quanto à emancipação animal - por Peter Singer, esta dicotomia tornou-se, particularmente, tanto significante quanto questionável. Na discussão dos denominados casos marginais, i.e. casos marginais de ser humano, como o estatuto do embrião ou pacientes em estado de coma irreversível, esta divisão binária é frequentemente empregue para suportar ou refutar argumentos, o que faz com que meditações quanto à bioética animal, uma questão importante no campo da ética biomédica. Peter Singer, nos seus trabalhos "Animal Liberation" e "Practical Ethics", conseguiu confrontar as fundações do nosso sistema ético e também as nossas definições de animal e de humano, através dum argumento lógico e simples. Desde então, a sua teoria e as suas radicais implicações têm sido ferozmente disputadas. Infelizmente, uma grande parte da crítica consiste em citações fora de contexto, o que distorce a sua argumentação racional. O objectivo deste trabalho assenta na profunda análise e apresentação da fundação teórica da teoria de Singer sob consideração de crítica séria, com uma sintética introdução às teorias utilitaristas mais influentes para Singer e que antecedem a sua elaboração. Seguidamente investiga-se o exemplo prático da vivissecção na medicina humana, à qual a teoria do utilitarismo preferencial de Singer é aplicada, depois dos factos relevantes da pesquisa terem sido apresentados. Os resultados são de que o fundamento da sua teoria é logicamente consistente e de que o nosso tratamento dos animais tem a necessidade urgente de mudança em pensamento e prática, não apenas pelos animais, mas também para benefício humano.
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Bartkienė, Aistė. "A search for methodological basis in theories of bioethics, based on deontology and utilitarianism." Doctoral thesis, Lithuanian Academic Libraries Network (LABT), 2012. http://vddb.laba.lt/obj/LT-eLABa-0001:E.02~2012~D_20120302_094057-14318.
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The object of dissertation is bioethical theories based on deontology and utilitarianism. The purpose of dissertation is to examine if ethical principles proposed in bioethical theories are normatively justified. In this work comparative analysis of bioethical theories is made and theoretical assumptions of bioethical conceptions are analyzed. It is stated that according to the construction manner of the analyzed bioethical theories it is possible to group these theories to homogenic and heterogenic ones. Homogenic theories are proceeding along particular ethical tradition (deontological or utilitarian) and propose to deal with bioethical controversies such as abortion, euthanasia, assisted suicide applying particular value-system. Heterogenic theories are trying to combine deontology with utilitarianism in one conception and in this way to propose method suitable for pluralistic society for dealing with bioethical controversies. In this work it is stated that bioethical theories based on deontology and utilitarianism do not introduce any clear and acceptable principles and methods needed for solving bioethical issues.Mokslinio darbo objektas - bioetikos teorijos, paremtos deontologija ir utilitarizmu. Darbo tikslas – įvertinti bioetikos teorijose siūlomų etinių principų normatyvinį pagrįstumą. Moksliniame darbe yra atlikta lyginamoji bioetikos teorijų analizė, išanalizuotas teorinių bioetikos koncepcijų prielaidų pagrįstumas. Yra teigiama, kad analizuojamas bioetikos teorijas galima skirstyti pagal jų konstravimo podūdį į homogeniškas ir heterogeniškas. Homogeniškos teorijos tesia konkrečią etinę tradiciją (deontologijos ar utilitarizmo) ir siūlo spręsti bioetines kontroversijas, tokias kaip abortai, eunazija, pagelbstimoji savižudybė taikant konkrečias vertybines nuostatas, būdingas astovaujamai šakai. Heterogeniškos teorijos bando derinti deontologiją su utilitarizmu vienoje koncepcijoje, siekdamos pasiūlyti bioetinių kontroversijų sprendimo būdus priimtinus pliuralistinėje visuomenėje. Disertacijoje teigiama, kad deontologija ir utilitarizmu pagrįstos bioetinės teorijos nepasiūlo aiškių ir priimtinų principų, reikalingų sprendžiant bioetines kontroversijas.
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Martin, Luis Jonathan. "A matter of justice and humanity: John Stuart Mill on punishment." Thesis, London School of Economics and Political Science (University of London), 1999. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.324919.
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Chaudhury, Shirin Sharmin. "The scope of the right to life and the Indian constitution : an essay in law and theory." Thesis, University of Essex, 2000. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.313098.
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Walker, Dale Henderson. "Individual development : a defence of the moral and political ideas of John Stuart Mill." Thesis, University of Wales Trinity Saint David, 2005. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.683321.
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Steel, John. "Free speech and praxis : philosophical justifications of freedom of speech and their application during the nineteenth century." Thesis, University of Sheffield, 2002. http://etheses.whiterose.ac.uk/14474/.
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The main aim of this thesis is to analyse and explore the philosophical justifications for freedom of speech during the nineteenth century and their application as political praxis. In this work, specific types of free speech argument are identified and examined in the light of the ideological stance of those who sought to argue for freedom of speech, primarily from key ideological perspectives of the nineteenth century, utilitarianism, liberalism and socialism. Initially three types of free speech argument are identified: the accountability argument, the liberty argument and the truth argument. However, on an inspection of socialist arguments for freedom of speech, the author suggests that a fourth sufficiently distinct type of free speech argument is present, particularly within the more mature works of socialist radicals and agitators. Though the arguments for freedom of speech overlap within different ideological and historical contexts, a case is made for a relatively distinct type of free speech argument within the socialist political praxis of free speech. Furthermore, in examining key political and philosophical texts, and an analysis of the free speech arguments in nineteenth century political pamphlets and newspapers, the argument is made that in order to gain a thorough understanding of political history and philosophy a holistic approach should be adopted, one which looks at ideas, context, history, artefact, and political praxis.
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Dalsotto, Lucas Mateus. "A primazia do justo sobre o bem : as críticas de Rawls ao utilitarismo." reponame:Repositório Institucional da UCS, 2013. https://repositorio.ucs.br/handle/11338/785.
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A dissertação tem como pretensão investigar especificamente a ideia rawlsiana da
primazia do justo sobre o bem, explicitando, a partir desse conceito, a crítica de Rawls
dirigida ao utilitarismo enquanto uma teoria moral abrangente. Buscamos mostrar que o
pressuposto de Rawls é de que o utilitarismo se apresenta como uma teoria moral abrangente
que tem como finalidade apresentar um critério geral (o princípio da maior felicidade, bemestar,
prazer...) que se aplica a um amplo espectro de questões (senão a quase todas as
questões). Do ponto de vista rawlsiano, em uma sociedade marcada por um pluralismo de
concepções abrangentes de bem, as quais, na maioria das vezes, têm divergências profundas e
irreconciliáveis, a teoria utilitarista não se presta como critério para a resolução de impasses
morais e políticos. É preciso encontrar um conjunto de princípios capaz de fornecer um ponto
de vista comum a partir do qual seja possível mediar às controvérsias provenientes das
disputas entre estas diversas concepções. Nesse caso, a primazia do justo sobre o bem na
teoria de Rawls tem o sentido de que os princípios de justiça não pressupõem nenhuma
concepção específica de bem e de que eles colocam os limites às formas de vida pelas quais
os cidadãos podem se empenhar em realizar as concepções do bem que julgam ser
verdadeiras.Submitted by Marcelo Teixeira (mvteixeira@ucs.br) on 2014-07-09T13:58:57Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Dissertacao Lucas Mateus Dalsotto.pdf: 1738021 bytes, checksum: a5ef09bda40571355eb2091299df9c16 (MD5)
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The dissertation is to investigate claims specifically Rawlsian idea of the primacy of the right over the good, explaining, the basis of this concept, the critique of Rawls addressed to utilitarianism as a moral theory comprehensively. We seek to show that Rawls's assumption that utilitarianism is presented as a comprehensive moral theory which aims to present a general criterion (the principle of the greatest happiness, well- being, pleasure...) that applies to a broad spectrum issues (if not almost all issues). The Rawlsian view, in a society marked by a pluralism of comprehensive conceptions of the good, which, in most cases, have profound and irreconcilable differences, the utilitarian theory does not lend itself as a criterion for resolving moral dilemmas and political. It needs to find a set of principles capable of providing a common point of view from which it is possible to mediate contentious disputes arising from these different conceptions. In this case, the primacy of the right over the good in Rawls' theory has the sense that the principles of justice does not presuppose any particular conception of the good and that they put limits to the ways of life in which citizens can engage in conduct conceptions of the good they believe to be true.
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Dubois, Sagenay. "Marketplaces and the Environment: A Utilitarian Analysis." Thesis, Boston College, 2021. http://hdl.handle.net/2345/bc-ir:109173.
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Thesis advisor: Joshua SnyderIn my work I seek to define and understand the best consequences approach to correcting market failures that result in negative environmental outcomes. I do this by exploring the relationship between markets and environmental outcomes through the introduction of case studies. Additionally, I outline the policy solutions used to try to correct these failures. These case studies are evaluated using Peter Singer’s ethical framework as a criterion for best consequences. Based on this analysis, I argue for the use of economic policy to achieve policy goals set in accordance with the needs of stakeholders both human and non-human on an intertemporal scale. Economic terms often fail to capture the true value of natural resources, however, making the best consequences unattainable through such policies alone. Considering this, I argue that we must develop a fundamentally different understanding of consumption and commodities if we are to achieve the most beneficial outcome
Thesis (BA) — Boston College, 2021
Submitted to: Boston College. College of Arts and Sciences
Discipline: Departmental Honors
Discipline: Philosophy
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Letourneau, Lyne. "Animal protection law in Great Britain : in search of the existing moral orthodoxy." Thesis, University of Aberdeen, 2000. http://digitool.abdn.ac.uk/R?func=search-advanced-go&find_code1=WSN&request1=AAIU602287.
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Omnipresent in Western society, the idea of progress is commonly advanced in relation to the development of animal protection law in Great Britain. Essentially, it is argued that the law now recognises that animals are worthy of moral consideration in their own right, that is, that they count or matter morally. From the concept of "animal as object" to that of "animal as person", indeed, the history of Western philosophical thinking bears witness to a progressive acknowledgement of animals (or, at least, of some animals) as full members of the moral community, along with all human beings. However, as political theorist Robert Garner argues in his book Animals, Politics and Morality, public policy is never simply a product of moral principles. Rather, influenced by pressure groups, it is the result of a process based on negotiation and compromise. That being the case, in the present thesis, I ask whether Great Britain has truly been the scene of moral progress through the development of animal protection law and to what extent one may speak of moral progress at all in relation to this area of law. Is animal protection law in Great Britain moving away from the traditional moral position that animals are exclusively means to human ends, thereby granting moral standing and equal moral status to animals The answer to this question lies with identifying the philosophical conception of the relations between humans and animals which is expressed through the body of animal protection law in this country. For animals' moral status within the law ensues directly from it. In the first chapter, following the great influence the position plays in the contemporary debate over our moral treatment of animals, I use Tom Regan's theory of animal rights to assess whether animal protection law in Great Britain reflects a conception of human-animal relations that is consistent with a recognition that animals possess moral rights. In the second chapter, I defend the view that animal protection law in Great Britain does not reflect utilitarianism - a position that has been popularised in animal ethics by moral philosopher Peter Singer. In the third chapter, building on the distinctive features of animal protection law in Great Britain which have emerged from the analysis in Chapters I and II, I contend that the law reflects "group egoism" - a form of consequentialism which falls between ethical egoism and utilitarianism. To be sure, what comes forth as the dominant position underlying animal protection law in Great Britain is that human beings protect animals only to the extent to which benefit is provided to them in return, or, at the very least, to the extent that so doing does not impinge on their interests in animal use. Does this position represent any kind of moral progress In the context of changing human attitudes towards animals and the development of animal protection law, I argue that it does. However, this moral progress carries no recognition that animals are worthy of moral consideration in their own right, that is, that they count or matter morally. Far from doing away with the traditional position that animals are exclusively means to human ends, animal protection law in Great Britain fits in with this way of thinking and grants to animals an instrumental value only.
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Collins, Brian. "A utilitarian account of political obligation." Diss., University of Iowa, 2014. https://ir.uiowa.edu/etd/1307.
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One of the core issues in contemporary political philosophy is concerned with `political obligation.' Stated in an overly simplified way, the question being asked when one investigates political obligation is, "What, if anything, do citizens owe to their government and how are these obligations generated if they do exist?" The majority of political philosophers investigating this issue agree that a political obligation is a moral requirement to act in certain ways concerning political matters (e.g. a moral requirement to obey the laws and support one's country). Despite this agreement about the general nature of what is being searched for, a broad division has arisen between political obligation theorists - there are some who take political obligations to actually exist ("defenders of political obligation") and there are some who take there to be no general political obligation ("philosophical anarchists"). While there is debate within the camp defending political obligation about what it is that generates the obligations, the common core of all "defender theories" is the fundamental idea that one has a moral requirement(s) to support and obey the political institutions of one's country. Despite utilitarianism's status as one of the major ethical theories, historically, it has largely been dismissed by theorists concerned with political obligation. Within the contemporary debate it is generally accepted that utilitarianism cannot adequately accommodate a robust theory of political obligation.
The overarching objective of this dissertation is to challenge this general dismissal of a utilitarian account and to build upon the two accounts which have been developed (R.M. Hare's and Rolf Sartorius') in offering a robust utilitarian theory of political obligation which can be considered a competitor to the other contemporary theories (i.e., theories of consent, gratitude, fair play or fairness, membership or association, and natural duty). However, as this utilitarian account of political obligation develops, the possibility will also emerge for a non-antagonistic relationship between the utilitarian theory on offer and the contemporary political obligation debate. The moral reasons posited by the traditional theories of political obligation (i.e., consent, fair play, gratitude, associative, and natural duty) can be included in and accommodated by my utilitarian account. The utilitarian account of political obligation can accept that there are many types of reasons explaining why broad expectations concerning individual and group behavior are created, and each type of reason can be understood as supporting the utilitarian claim that there are moral reasons for following the laws and supporting legitimate political authorities.
Taken all together, my arguments will take the form of a three tiered response to the prevailing opinion that any utilitarian attempt to account for political obligations is doomed. The first tier contends that the utilitarian can consistently claim that there are moral reasons to follow the law. This is not a particularly strong claim, but it is one which has been denied by the vast majority of political theorists. The second tier of my argument addresses this apparent issue by contending that even the traditional deontological accounts of political obligation are not offering more than this. Lastly, it is contended that, given the contingent features of humans (i.e., intellectual fallibility, selfish biases, and the way moral education is tied to rules), the strength of the utilitarian political obligations is comparable to other accounts' analyses of the obligations.
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DiGiovanni, James J. "Against Collective Consequentialism." Digital Archive @ GSU, 2012. http://digitalarchive.gsu.edu/philosophy_theses/109.
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In this paper I argue that Liam Murphy’s collective consequentialism—emphasizing fairness instead of maximization of value—is not an adequate response to the demandingness objections levied at consequentialism. Especially since Peter Singer’s “Famine, Affluence, and Morality,” many have objected that consequentialism is far too demanding, particularly concerning our obligations of assistance to those in extreme poverty. Murphy thinks that the problem is not that consequentialism is necessarily too demanding; it is that, in our nonideal world of partial compliance, consequentialism is too demanding on those who comply with its dictates. I hope to show that Murphy’s theory is unsatisfying. I will not defend any particular version of consequentialism over alternative consequentialist theories, nor will I defend consequentialism over alternative non-consequentialist moral theories. My aim is far narrower: To show that those who accept a broadly consequentialist account of morality have little reason to accept Murphy’s collective consequentialism.
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Bartkienė, Aistė. "Metodologinio pagrindo paieška bioetikos teorijose, paremtose deontologija ir utilitarizmu." Doctoral thesis, Lithuanian Academic Libraries Network (LABT), 2012. http://vddb.laba.lt/obj/LT-eLABa-0001:E.02~2012~D_20120302_090010-98050.
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Mokslinio darbo objektas - bioetikos teorijos, paremtos deontologija ir utilitarizmu. Darbo tikslas – įvertinti bioetikos teorijose siūlomų etinių principų normatyvinį pagrįstumą. Moksliniame darbe yra atlikta lyginamoji bioetikos teorijų analizė, išanalizuotas teorinių bioetikos koncepcijų prielaidų pagrįstumas. Yra teigiama, kad analizuojamas bioetikos teorijas galima skirstyti pagal jų konstravimo podūdį į homogeniškas ir heterogeniškas. Homogeniškos teorijos tesia konkrečią etinę tradiciją (deontologijos ar utilitarizmo) ir siūlo spręsti bioetines kontroversijas, tokias kaip abortai, eunazija, pagelbstimoji savižudybė taikant konkrečias vertybines nuostatas, būdingas astovaujamai šakai. Heterogeniškos teorijos bando derinti deontologiją su utilitarizmu vienoje koncepcijoje, siekdamos pasiūlyti bioetinių kontroversijų sprendimo būdus priimtinus pliuralistinėje visuomenėje. Disertacijoje teigiama, kad deontologija ir utilitarizmu pagrįstos bioetinės teorijos nepasiūlo aiškių ir priimtinų principų, reikalingų sprendžiant bioetines kontroversijas.The object of dissertation is bioethical theories based on deontology and utilitarianism. The purpose of dissertation is to examine if ethical principles proposed in bioethical theories are normatively justified. In this work comparative analysis of bioethical theories is made and theoretical assumptions of bioethical conceptions are analyzed. It is stated that according to the construction manner of the analyzed bioethical theories it is possible to group these theories to homogenic and heterogenic ones. Homogenic theories are proceeding along particular ethical tradition (deontological or utilitarian) and propose to deal with bioethical controversies such as abortion, euthanasia, assisted suicide applying particular value-system. Heterogenic theories are trying to combine deontology with utilitarianism in one conception and in this way to propose method suitable for pluralistic society for dealing with bioethical controversies. In this work it is stated that bioethical theories based on deontology and utilitarianism do not introduce any clear and acceptable principles and methods needed for solving bioethical issues.
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McKay, Daniel Christopher. "Freedom consequentialism: In support of a new measure of utility." Thesis, University of Canterbury. Philosophy, 2013. http://hdl.handle.net/10092/9033.
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Classical utilitarianism faces significant problems: it ignores moral rights; it cannot
take account of all free rational agents; and its focus on happiness means that it
dismisses the other things that people value for their own sake. These problems lead
to conflicts with autonomy, personal integrity and inconsistencies with the way in
which utilitarianism justifies the value of happiness. This thesis seeks to solve these
problems by introducing the protection of freedom as a new measure of utility.
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Bissell, Gavin A. "Spencer's Principles of Psychology and the decline of utilitarian premises in British psychology." The British Psychological Society, 2008. http://hdl.handle.net/10454/2730.
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YesDespite the revival of interest in nineteenth century psychology and ethics in Britain during the 1980s, and the current debate around Utilitarian ethics in medicine (Buckle, 2005) and care (Offer, 2004), Utilitarian premises, understood as a psychological theory rather than as a moral philosophy, remain largely dormant in contemporary British Psychology. This is so despite their apparent survival in Behaviourism (Plaud & Vogeltanz, 1994). This article examines aspects of their decline within Victorian psychology, by focussing upon the relatively neglected psychological writings of Herbert Spencer. In doing so, it seeks to make a modest contribution to unravelling the complex changes in the nature of nineteenth-century psychology. In particular it is argued that, whilst some explanations of the decline of Utilitarian premises in the Victorian development of psychology focus upon the later part of the century and cultural or institutional factors, an examination of Spencer's works at the mid-century supports the view that changes were under way earlier. Whilst several explanations might be offered for this, changes in economic organisation and in the experience of individual agency are highlighted. The relation between Utilitarian psychology and Utilitarian ethics will then be considered. Finally, at this stage it should be possible to comment upon the significance of the marginalization of Utilitarian premises within the development of Victorian psychology for the contemporary debate about health resource allocation.
ESRC
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Fior, Mota de Andrade Pedro [Verfasser]. "A Study on Hume's Theory of Justice : Evolution, Utilitarianism, and the Social Contract / Pedro Fior Mota de Andrade." Konstanz : KOPS Universität Konstanz, 2020. http://d-nb.info/1216418381/34.
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Da, Silva Talita, and Anna Friberg. "A Literature Review of the Field of Social Media in Retail." Thesis, Högskolan i Halmstad, Akademin för ekonomi, teknik och naturvetenskap, 2017. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:hh:diva-33330.
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The purpose of this study is to critically diagnose and review the current available knowledge of social media in retail. Particularly, this review concentrates on influences of social media in consumer behaviour within the online retail context. This study aims to identify gaps in the literature, and give recommendations for further research. The review uses a descriptive research method when gathering and summarising the data about social media in online retail. The studies included in this review are very recent; from the years 2009 to 2017. Chosen existing studies are analysed in comparison to traditional literature and linked to Cumberland’s philosophy. Moreover, how traditional literature can still be used to support current phenomena. Conclusions are drawn to emphasize that Cumberland’s theories can be applied to modern society and social media is noted as a tool used by man to pursue ”Universal Benevolence”. Future research should concentrate on further understanding this relationship. The review provides important information about how social media influences consumer purchasing behaviour in online retail, which is of particular interest for marketers and managers of that field.
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Almeida, Gabriel Bertin de. "O contratualismo e o utilitarismo na filosofia moral e política de David Hume." Universidade de São Paulo, 2010. http://www.teses.usp.br/teses/disponiveis/8/8133/tde-23042010-153805/.
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A obra de David Hume é marcada por dois momentos distintos: o Tratado da Natureza Humana, brilhante obra de sua juventude, e as investigações e os ensaios, entre outros textos mais maduros. No contexto dessa transição, suas teorias moral e política sofrem pequenas, porém significativas, modificações. Uma delas diz respeito ao desaparecimento, na segunda Investigação, da dicotomia obrigação naturalmoral de justiça existente no Tratado, e, sobretudo, ao uso mais frequente do sentimento de humanidade, naquela obra, como móbil da ação. Essa tese de fundo, que defende a mencionada modificação na teoria humeana, possibilita ainda que se afirme a existência de duas outras teses: a) que Hume tem mais um argumento para refutar o contratualismo, além daquele declarado expressamente em seus textos; b) que Hume dificilmente pode ser considerado um utilitarista, já que suas teorias do valor, da ação (ou do que é certo) e do motivo são sensivelmente diferentes das teorias utilitaristas clássicas, cabendo-lhe melhor o rótulo de precursor do utilitarismo.In the works of David Hume, two distinct moments are clearly defined: the A Treatise of Human Nature, a brilliant book from his youth, and the enquiries and the essays, which show more maturity. In the course of this transition, his moral and political theories suffered minor, but important, changes. One of them concerns the elimination, in the second Enquiry, of the dichotomy natural-moral obligation of justice, which existed in the Treatise, and a more frequent use, in that work, of humanity as a cause for action. This argument, which puts forth the aforementioned modification in Hume\'s theory, makes the existence of two other propositions possible: a) that Hume has another argument to refute contractualism, besides the one that is explicitly stated in his texts; b) that Hume can hardly be considered a utilitarian, since his theories of value, of action (or of what is right) and of the motive are significantly different from classical utilitarian theories, making it preferable to label him as a precursor to utilitarianism.
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Ilobinso, Louis-Kennedy. "Policy on Abortion in the Nigerian Society : Ethical considerations." Thesis, Linköping University, Centre for Applied Ethics, 2007. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:liu:diva-9738.
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Abortion is clearly one of the most controversal and divisive contemporary moral problems. This thesis is an investigation upon significant number of important, fundemental ethical questions in relation to policy of abortion in Nigeria.
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Olsson, Johanna. "A European Right to Assisted Suicide? Moral Justifications of the ECtHR Case Law." Thesis, Malmö universitet, Fakulteten för kultur och samhälle (KS), 2019. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:mau:diva-23180.
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This thesis seeks to investigate whether the current European Court of Human Rights case-law on assisted suicide can be justified using Kantian or Utilitarian arguments. The theory, consisting of Utilitarianism and Kantianism, is applied to three key cases arguing a right to assisted suicide under Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights; Pretty v. the United Kingdom, Haas v. Switzerland and Koch v. Germany. Using argumentation analysis, arguments based on the case-law in combination with the two theories are presented and discussed. In a discussion centered around concepts such as autonomy, utility and rationality, the thesis concludes that the two theories are indeed useful in justifying the case-law on assisted suicide. The observation that the two theories can justify the same actions on different grounds concludes the essay, before ideas encouraging future research are presented.
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Sosa, Nicholas. "Melting Poles, Polio, and Moral Perceptions of Scientists: Humanization and Trust of Scientists in Moral Dilemmas Predicts Science Acceptance." Ohio University / OhioLINK, 2019. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ohiou1550575151240985.
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Cleret, Lea. "Les valeurs du sport : l'intentionnalité du sport comme choix politique." Thesis, Paris Est, 2010. http://www.theses.fr/2010PEST2012.
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Vickery, Paul. "Utility, Character, and Mill's Argument for Representative Government." Digital Archive @ GSU, 2012. http://digitalarchive.gsu.edu/philosophy_theses/115.
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John Stuart Mill’s Representative Government argues that the ideal form of government is representative. In this paper, I interpret Mill’s argument as a utilitarian argument for a political system with the salient feature of authoritative public participation. Mill argues for this feature in the first three chapters of Representative Government. This argument is interpreted in the context of Mill’s utilitarian views as elaborated in Utilitarianism, with emphasis on Mill’s understanding of pleasure formation and high quality utility.
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Mollvik, Lia. "Are Children Seeds or Are They Soil? : A Comparison between Martha Nussbaum’s Capability Approach and Utilitarian Philosophy applied to Critical Thinking in the Rwandan Education System." Thesis, Uppsala universitet, Teologiska institutionen, 2015. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:uu:diva-254488.
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Much research has been done within the field of Education on how to integrate Human Rights in education, both as a class subject and as a value system. Similarly, the research field of Education also contains many discussions of how “critical thinking” is taught and what its role in education is and should be. This thesis instead approaches the topic from “the other way round” so to speak, by using a “human rights lens” to explore ethical and political views on the goals of education generally and the role of critical thinking in education particularly, as they appear within a particular educational context – Rwanda’s education system. The philosophy of education of utilitarianism and that of Martha Nussbaum’s Capability Approach are here compared and contrasted with each other and act as a theoretical framework for understanding the Rwandan education system as it appears through the reading of policy documents and through the experience of a selected group of Rwandan primary and secondary school students. The thesis argues that an ethically acceptable and stable philosophy of education should spring from a conception of human beings as ends and not means. Starting with such a conception of human beings, the goal of education becomes that of developing each individual’s capabilities to their fullest potential. Additionally, the thesis argues that the role of critical thinking in education should be regarded as central, as the capability for critical thinking enhances the flourishing of other human capabilities.
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Kissiah, Clark J. "The Deontological and Utilitarian Cases for Rectifying Structural Injustice in Sweatshop Labor Ethics: A Critical Assessment." Scholarship @ Claremont, 2014. http://scholarship.claremont.edu/cmc_theses/923.
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Sweatshop labor has been condemned by scholars, activists, students and consumers in more developed countries on charges of wrongful exploitation, and a failure to respect the dignity, and basic needs of sweatshop workers. This paper surveys charges against sweatshop labor, and some of the more influential arguments for, and against, rectifying the background structural injustices that perpetuate it. I argue that in certain sweatshop cases, compensating workers below a prima facie morally acceptable level can be most successful in striving towards the duty of beneficence that employers owe to their employees. Therefore, we ought to pursue utility-maximizing acts over others in better alignment with a deontic duty to compensate employees at a certain level. I eventually conclude that this debate is a paradigm example of deontological versus utilitarian moral judgments. Sometimes, utility maximizing acts are morally impermissible. Sometimes, adhering to deontic duties instead of committing a wrong to produce a right is morally required. In the circumstances that I describe, the morally right acts ought to be those that are most successful in maximizing overall utility for the most number of people. This responsibility coincides with acts that may not compensate workers at a prima facie morally acceptable level, but incidentally maximize overall utility, welfare and autonomy for some of the world’s most marginalized and impoverished people.
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Mackie, Finlay. "Food Waste, Shop Lifting and Dumpster Diving : Ethical Conceptions of Waste and the Re-Appropriation of Goods." Thesis, Linköpings universitet, Centrum för tillämpad etik, 2014. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:liu:diva-107699.
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This paper examines two contrasting ethical approaches to waste within the context of modern day western food poverty and attempts to examine the justifications that these ethical definitions of waste might lend to impoverished people in re-appropriating the wasted food for themselves. Towards the end of the paper there is also a brief discussion regarding the political implications that can be found in competing ethical definitions of waste.
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Weimer, Steven. "Autonomy and the Utilitarian State." Bowling Green State University / OhioLINK, 2009. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=bgsu1250636642.
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