Essays on Utilitarianism

William James is considered as being one of the American pioneers in the field of philosophy and psychology. His works covered a wide range of areas including educational psychology, mysticism and psychology of religion. Two of his writings which gave him a great recognition are the Principles of Psychology and Psychology: The Briefer Course. He was part of the proponents of pragmatism philosophy and functionalism in psychology. This paper aims at analyzing the contribution of William James in epistemology. Many prominent views in the modern epistemology and pragmatist approaches to epistemology are reflected in most of the writings of Continue reading...

Introduction
Utilitarianism is a principle that the moral worth of an action is determined by its usefulness in maximizing utility and minimizing negative utility. Utility is the pleasure, preference satisfaction and knowledge. The moral worth of an action is determined by its outcome. In this study we are going to compare Mill, John Stuart’s work 'Utilitarianism’ and Kant, Immanuel’s work 'Groundwork for the Metaphysics of Morals.' The study will also come up with findings based on the comparisons if the end justifies the means.
John Mill’s account on Utilitarianism is primarily influenced by Jeremy Bentham Continue reading...

Power quality involving voltage occurs in two main ways. These include under voltage and overvoltage. Under voltage occurs when the power in transmission falls below 90% of the total power transmitted for a period of more than one minute. When the power is totally out, the situation is described as a blackout. When the power is fully present, it is simply said to be full power. There is a transition between full power and blackout that is described as brownout. Brownout is identified by dimming of lights, blackout by no lights at all, and full power by all domestic Continue reading...

Article Review of Duty and Desolation by Rae Langton Relating to Honesty and Utility, Value and Rights

Abstract
It is necessary to establish the supreme principle of morality and look at the present treatise that surround it. For a law to hold moral ground, it has to submit to the rule of law and with it the ground of obligation (Hauptli, 2013). For example, there is the law that states “Thou shalt not lie”. This law has to be obeyed by everybody; those who have sound morals and those who do not care for morals. Abiding to the law is the moral thing to do and everyone need to observe it. This argument means that doing Continue reading...

ABSTRACT

The term utility in economics is defined as the satisfaction or fulfillment an individual gets from consuming a certain good or a service. Utility is one of the major subjects used in understanding consumer behavior in economics. Utility of a good is usually expressed as a function of only the amount of that particular good. However, utility cannot be measured quantitatively and therefore it is a subjective concept depending on each individual. Some economists have argued that utility can be measured in utils but this unit of measurement is not quite clear and also it is not recognized universally. Continue reading...

Article Summary

Mental accounting is a group of cognitive operations that households and individuals use individuals to organise, evaluate, and keep track of business operations. The article summarises the current state of our components of mental knowledge about how people engage in mental accounting. The article is a depth analysis of mental accounting in relation to personal decision-making. The author starts by introducing mental accounting. According to the author, the difference between mental accounting and financial and managerial accounting is the fact that mental accounting involves households and individuals and not organisations.
The other also highlights the process of mental decision-making. Continue reading...

A Consequentialist is someone who believes that an action is only wrong or right depending on the nature of outcomes of the action. When consequences of the action are morally acceptable to the society, it means that the action is right thus; a person committing the action is has upright morals. On the contrary, an action is wrong when the consequences are ethically negative, and the person responsible for the action is deemed wrong. For instance, the case a driver preferring to kill one person crossing a road to save lives of many passengers on board could be argued Continue reading...

Utilitarianism as defined by John Mill is a theory that is based on the principles that stipulate,“One’s actions are correct in proportion to their tendency of promoting happiness and wrong if they tend to result into sadness.” According to John Stuart Mill,happiness is the lack of pain and a state of pleasure. He claims that pleasure can vary in quantity and quality. He adds that the pleasures that are implanted in someone’s upper faculties should be treated with increased weight than the lower pleasures. Mill says that people’s accomplishment of ends and goals, for Continue reading...

The ancestor of classical German philosophy Immanuel Kant (1724-1804) during the early period of the activity dealt with issues of natural sciences much and made the hypothesis of the origin and developments of the solar system.
This philosophical system is the compromise between materialism and idealism. Materialistic tendencies in Kant's philosophy affect that he recognizes the existence of objective reality, things out of us. Kant teaches that there are the "transcendental objects" which are not depending on the learning subject. If Kant consistently carried out this look, it would come to materialism. But in contradiction with this materialistic view, Continue reading...

Statistical significance refers to a statistic being reliable; it does not mean that the data gathered would certainly have any decision making utility. It allows the researcher to compute the level of strength of the relationship between two or more variables. For instance, the extent of the significance of a relationship can be evaluated using statistical significance analysis. The statistical tests help provide the “p-value” that represents the probability of a random chance to explain the findings. In most cases, values less than 5% are considered to be statistically significant.
The concept of statistical significance can be understood using Continue reading...

While it is true that Mills recognizes the need to uphold an individual’s rights and privileges, he supports the need to impose capital punishment for capital offenders. His argument is based on the principle of utility, which is aligned with Benthamite’s principle of frugality, and exemplarity. Mills further notes that the punishment should emphasize on its core role; that of deterring crime; hence, it should not be imposed in a severe manner that disregards its intended purpose. In arguing for capital punishment, Mills concurs that murder remains to be of the greatest crimes recognized by the law. Continue reading...

In his speech; in favor of capital punishment, Mill argues in favor of the death penalty for worst murderers on the basis of Benthamite’s principle of exemplarity and frugality. As Mills states, punishment as an intrinsic form of mischief should not be excessively severe than is required to attain its anticipated effect; that of deterring crime. Although Mills recognizes the needs to uphold one’s rights, he explicitly advocates for the preservation of capital punishment in cases of aggravated murder. Mill states that whenever the greatest crime as a recognized law; murder, and when the culprit’ position suggests Continue reading...

What is utilitarianism?

Utilitarianism, also referred to as the greatest happiness principle, is defined as the principle that human beings should base their actions depending on the consequences of those actions. The consequence-oriented variety theory claims that people should perform acts that make them happier, or make them less unhappy. People at different ages have varying rules. The weight of every action is determined by the nature of consequence and the mounting pressure it impacts to the society. Utilitarianism falls under two categories, the classic utilitarianism and the rule utilitarianism. The classic utilitarianism defines a right act as the one that maximizes Continue reading...

What Is Utilitarianism?

Utilitarianism is the direction in ethics (ethical theory), according to which the moral value of an act is determined behavior or its usefulness. Utilitarianism is a new term introduced in general use; Mill should be considered a chief representative of the direction, denoted by the term Utilitarianism. Mill had predecessors mainly in Russian philosophical literature. If some historians consider it possible to talk about utilitarianism in antiquity, this is explained by mixing two concepts: utilitarianism and eudemonism, i.e., theories built on the concepts of use and enjoyment. The culprit of this confusion is the same Mill, who wished, in Continue reading...

Single-case research design refers to the type of research design used in used in sociology, human behavior, education and psychology in which the subject of research serves as his/her own control. It does not use another individual or group to act as a control. Single-case research design is quite important and can help in finding out more information about the progress of individuals under study. For instance, when used during counseling therapy, the information received from it can be used in tracking and understanding the progress of the client. Meaning, the performance of the counseling process can be easily Continue reading...

Is muscle bulk reflection of one’s fitness?

Exercise has an important role in life by ensuring health and mental well-being. It benefits most parts of the body including the heart, bones, muscles and even the immune system. On the other hand, endurance training plays a key role in the development of skeletal muscles. In order to develop muscle bulk, rigorous exercising and endurance training is required. A natural muscular body means healthy muscles that indicate to aspects of muscle mass – endurance and strength. The question that surfaces in the mind is muscle bulk reflection of one’s fitness.
A lot of research has been carried out Continue reading...

The Queen v Dudley and Stevens

It is imperative from the onset, to appreciate the postulation of this paper which is in favor of the decision by the seamen to eat one of their own.
The facts of the case in Queen v. Dudley and Stevens are interesting and intriguing as they are unimaginable in the current world setup. However, a reasoned moral dilemma presents itself given the factors that confronted the men at sea. This paper rests its argument based on the utilitarian principles enunciated in particular by Jeremy Bentham and John Stuart Mills. It is instructive to appreciate the common denominator in their Continue reading...

The provision of care to clientele (i.e., patient, family, community) entails a holistic approach. This approach includes measures geared towards giving significance to all factors directly or indirectly affecting the clientele’s well being. The application of holistic care means application of nursing measures in all levels of health promotion (i.e., prevention, cure, rehabilitation) that are aimed towards promoting and/ or preserving an individual’s physical, emotional, intellectual, social and spiritual well-being (Hubbert, 2008). Albeit all significant in nature, these factors are usually not all taken into consideration in the application of nursing measures. More often than not, the Continue reading...

How Mill Apply the Principle of Utility to the Issue of Capital Punishment

In his parliamentary speech in, 1868, Mill argues in favour of capital punishment retention. In support of capital punishment, Mill argues that a punishment being an essential malice, it should be accomplished in a more severe way that it ought to be in order for the punishing party to attain the anticipated effect to the murderer. He further accentuates that, the desired effect of punishment can best be achieved economic wise if the suffering is inflicted more severe that it ought to be. Based on his perceptions, execution is less cruel when compared to life imprisonment where one will Continue reading...

Introduction

Utilitarian ethical theory defines morality as the maximization of expectable utility for parties likely to be affected by an action or a decision. Furthermore, various aspects of utilitarianism have historically been under development and debate, this modern theory, however, is most attributed to John Stuart. He developed this theory from a Hedonistic version that had been prevailed upon by his mentor Jeremy Bentham. Its basic principle is that actions are good to the extent that they promote the greatest good for majority of the population. It matters not whether at a reasonable man’s point of view, the actions Continue reading...

According to utilitarianism, an action’s moral worth is based on the contribution it has to inclusive utility in making the most of happiness or liking as summed among all individuals. This implies that, in this case, it is the individuals’ total utility which is of importance. Thus, utilitarianism can be said to be a reductionistic and quantitative approach to ethics (Sheng, 2004). Rule utilitarianism, also known as indirect or restricted utilitarianism is a form of utilitarianism, which argues that an individual’s duty is to follow the rule that would lead to the best values if the rule Continue reading...

The sociological viewpoint of the social problems arises from the concept of sociological imagination (Mills, 1959). The sociological perspective is that the social problems originate from the societal aspects. It includes both the personal as well as the public problems. The personal problems or issues affect the individuals and other members of the society due to own moral and personal failings of individual. Examples of personal problems include unemployment and divorce etc. The public problems indicate those problems that lie in the society’s culture and social structures and affect several people. So, the sociologists have used the term Continue reading...

1- What variables does Rosling use to talk about social well being? 

The variables that Rosling use to talk about social well-being are fertility rate, life expectancy at birth, child mortality rate and the length of life.

2- What does he illustrate when he plots social well being variables against economic development (income per capita)? 

What Rosling is trying to illustrate in plotting social well-being variables against the GDP per capita is that social well-being factors play a major role in the economic growth of a country. He also points out that there are some countries that are more advanced in terms of health, education and human resources development, than they are economically. He argues that for some countries social progress is more enhanced than economic progress. 3- What Continue reading...

Professionals who work closely with people sometimes have the possibility of improving or enhancing their chances of succeeding in their professional endeavors by reaching out and getting close to the people they meet. Mental health workers, educators, health professionals, social workers, police officers and professionals in the child care field exemplify this role. Empathy and sometimes deliberate rational strategy lead them to reach out and provide support to families, children, adolescents and other (vulnerable) individuals in uncomfortable, threatening, harmful or distressing situations and circumstances. However, there are repercussions to reaching out and these professionals need to be careful not Continue reading...

Introduction

This study will define some of the terms such as Rationalism Empiricism and principle of utility states. It will further discuss some of the hypotheses by the philosophers such as Nietzsche and Sartre.
Rationalism is being defined in philosophy as, the analysis that regards reasons as the primary source and the knowledge analysis. Empiricism is a theory that all the knowledge of matters of facts comes from sensory experience (Locke, 1998).The principle of utility states that, both actions and behavior are correct as long as they uphold happiness and pleasure. On the other hand, actions and behaviors are Continue reading...

Introduction

Morality deals with distinguishing the difference between right and wrong. It dictates the actions and behavior of people; what they should do, and what they should not do. However, because of the diversity of the human conditions and cultures all over the world, there are many ways to perceive morality. These various ways are manifested in different moral theories. One of them is utilitarianism. This is the moral theory that we will be focusing on. The questions that this paper will now try to answer are: what is utilitarianism and is it a valid moral theory?
In order to Continue reading...

I was a voracious reader since the childhood. I believe in purposeful reading. Since my first book, I have been constantly looking for good that can inspire the hidden and creativity inside me. I like to read and analyze the subject simultaneously in the book. Apart inspirational books, I am also fond of novels and short stories. ‘House of Cars' is the book written by Michel Dobbs that inspired me a lot in my career and life. This book has served me as a mentor and a friend during the hardest time of my life.
Some people might frown Continue reading...

Section I: Matching (Maximum 20 points)

This section consists of ten (10) matching questions worth two (2) points each. Match the moral theories in the shaded box below with the ten numbered descriptions set forth below the shaded box. Choose the moral theory that corresponds best to each numbered question and write the letter that corresponds to the appropriate moral theory in the space provided below.
[Hint: Some questions may have more than one moral theory that is applicable to it. In such a case, simply choose one applicable theory and write its corresponding letter on the space provided. Only one correct response is required Continue reading...

Philosophy

Happiness is a state of positive mind reflecting hope, peacefulness, as well as pleasantness about one self and the immediate environment. Happiness is more internal and is not impacted by any kind of material possession or financial well-being. May be, in certain cases, financial well-being and material possessions could possibly help achieving happiness, but the same may not be the true source of happiness. Happiness is essentially the frame of mind characterized by contentment and even intense joy. Many religious and philosophical approaches have defined happiness variedly and try to pinpoint its source. Happiness is relative and can be Continue reading...

Introduction

Utility programs have had a significance role to play in operating systems. Most operating systems, especially windows operating systems have utility programs that are used in the management and enhancement of the operating system. It is in the quest to optimize the performance of the operating system. Most utility programs are there to enhance the speed and protect the operating system from damage. For operating systems to operate in an optimal manner, they have to be protected and enhanced with utility programs. After some time, the speed of operating system and the overall performance does not match the current Continue reading...

Article Review: Free Beer Always Tastes Great

The article by John Greathouse (WSJ, 2014) discusses the ways of developing a successful freemium business model, which becomes increasingly popular among on-line service providers, and on-line startups in particular. Greathouse argues that many entrepreneurs who enter the online market frequently employ this model, but mostly fail to implement it properly. They fail to provide coherent information to their clients about the proportion and difference between free and paid services, or completely miss the appropriate timing for communicating these aspects. To avoid this problem, Greathouse suggests four simple yet effective ways: communicating early, upselling logically, offer temporarily free services, Continue reading...

Prevalently, rights connote to the legal, ethical, or even the social principles of entitlement or freedom. Specifically, the right is a fundamental rule on what is permitted of people or even owed to the alleged people, with regards to the provided legal systems, ethical theory, and social convention. Most importantly, the growth and subsequent development of any state significantly relies on how the rights of consumers get accorded. Subsequently, the traditional buyer’s rights got enacted to assist in effectively protecting the consumers. Illustratively, the rights included; the right not to purchase a product that gets offered for sale, Continue reading...

Pragmatism is a renowned concept of great relevance and application in the modern society. Sentiments presents by other American philosophers incline towards a reformist approach in addressing sociopolitical issues. Pragmatists are constantly motivated by a desire to find solutions through practical application. The idea of pragmatism can successfully be utilized in explaining and understanding socio-political issues and in building knowledge of about effective governance. Understanding the idea of pragmatism especially in America is essential in building knowledge of the current and history issues of social inequality. The paper focuses on establishing whether classic pragmatic have geared adequate effort to Continue reading...

Diminishing Marginal Utility is whereby the marginal utility that a person derives from a product declines steadily as he increases consumption level by consuming additional unit of the same product, while keeping consumption of other related products constant. For instance, when one takes that first bite of a cake, it seems like he just cannot get enough of the same. However, as he takes his second piece as well as his third piece, he may begin to realize that he has had enough the cake. Applying the same concept, for each additional piece of cake he consumes, the additional Continue reading...

Literature review: Poem “The Final Hour” by Yevgeniy Yevtushenko

The first thought after reading the poem is a doubt. Will there really be an end and liberation? Is there really anything out there greater than every day routine, and is there really anything beyond just striving to survive in everyday world? The struggle for resources that are becoming more and more scarce and the rat-race everyone has to participate in trying to catch up to today’s world pace is voiding a human of anything for the soul. In fact to the point that the human is not a soul, but a mere number, an account, an employee, Continue reading...

16.1 Combining Beliefs and Desires under Uncertainty
Our understating of the world is mostly constrained by the lack of enough information and uncertainty of different outcomes. Despite this incompleteness and uncertainty we have to act and make conclusions. Decision theory is concerned with recognizing the qualities, vulnerabilities and different issues important in a given choice, its consistency, and the ensuing ideal choice, in an episodic environment [1]. In an episodic environment, the execution of an agent is subject to various discrete occurrences, with no connection between the executions of an agent in diverse situations. Episodic situations are less complex Continue reading...

There are numerous examples where microeconomics is applicable to us in our everyday life. This paper will focus on some of the examples I encountered while I was a teen ager and also how these concepts have helped me to analyze every situation from an economist perspective.
Starting off with a simple example, as teenager I always loved McDonalds and would spend a lot of money buying shakes, burgers from an outlet. At that time I had no idea about the concept of utility which is a fundamental concept in microeconomics. Every time I consumed a burger I really Continue reading...

Introduction

Airline companies charge different prices for different classes of passengers. A passenger who wishes to have higher quality services during the flight must pay a higher price for their tickets than those who travel in a different class. The airlines differentiate the prices of customers by having different features in the categories. However, there are other instances when the customers’ ability to travel in the business class is limited by their level of income. Pricing is one of the strategies used in maximizing revenues for the airline companies. The companies, therefore, must take into account the factors that affect Continue reading...

Is it wrong for Advertisers to Target Children?

The debate on advertisements targeting children has raged on for some time. Companies use advertisements to make the public aware of their products in the market. The type of advert aired may have both positive and negative influence on the child. Nowadays, many children get exposed to a variety of advertisements on the different media like radio, television, the internet, and the print media as well. As a matter of fact, advertisements are available for people of all ages. However, the children have become more susceptible and in most instances, the advertisers targeting children customize their messages to influence Continue reading...

Increasing Taxes on Cigarettes:

Increasing Taxes on Cigarettes
In this paperwork, I am going to respond to the following question- will increasing taxes on cigarettes reduce smoking in the U.S.
Through a literature review, it is depicted that an increase in taxes on cigarettes will definitely reduce smoking in the U.S. Smoking occurrence is claimed to reduce from 20% in 2004 to 15% in 2025. It is important to note that the cost of a packet of cigarette will have to go up, as a result of the implementation of this policy-increasing tax on cigarettes. Low income smokers, especially the teenagers, will not Continue reading...