Quote:
Originally Posted by Patricia
In classical Utilitarian theory, utility is defined as that which brings the greatest happiness to the greatest number. It is essential to consider the well-being of everyone potentially affected by the proposed action.
Your murder example would not meet with the approval of a utilitarian. Firstly, murder causes immense distress to the victim's family and friends. Secondly, it causes fear and unease in wider society and people value security very highly. Thirdly, most later versions of utilitarianism also value individual autonomy which, of course, is is permanently violated by murder. (I am thinking of the theories of R M Hare, Peter Singer and Jonathan Glover).
I'm not particularly interested in defending the theory. However, there are troublesome cases where killing may be the right thing to do. The classic example is the trolley problem.
A madman has tied five people to a railway line. There is a runaway trolley hurtling towards them. The madman has also tied another person to an adjacent line. You are standing beside the points. You have a choice.
1. Do nothing. Five people die. But you didn't kill them. You didn't save them either.
2. Switch the point. One person dies. Five are saved. But you have killed a person and saved five lives.
Take your pick.
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Thankyou for clearing that up. I did think I must have been missing something.
As for the example of the railway line, I would say that is an example of killing rather than murder, which as I stated in my reply to zerospinboson, can be considered justifiable in some circumstances.
So if I'm understanding correctly, I guess if a utilitarian could see that an act caused only harm or pain etc and no good, then that act would be considered an absolute wrong.
Take my murder example. If the murder was done for no reason at all, in "cold blood"(apologies for using an easily recognisable description to aid in understanding) it could be argued that it did not cause any good to anyone but only pain and loss. Therefore would not the utilitarian consider this an absolute wrong?
Cheers,
PKFFW