Purchase Solution

Comparison of utilitarian, Kantian and Humean ethics

Not what you're looking for?

Ask Custom Question

Compare utilitarian ethics with both Kant's ethics and Hume's view of ethics.

I'm just looking for a way to go on this subject because I find both Kant's and Hume's view on ethic confusing.

Purchase this Solution
Solution Summary

Whereas for Hume and the utilitarians morality is not based on reason alone, for Kant it is. How each camp develops their argument is the subject of this post.

Solution Preview

Compare utilitarian ethics with both Kant's ethics and Hume's view of ethics
I'm just looking for a way to go on this subject because I find both Kant's and Hume's view on ethic confusing.

Utilitarianism is based on the belief that everyone desires happiness and pleasure. From this simple fact that everyone desires happiness, the utilitarians concluded that morality could be understood in terms of the happiness principle. The good is achieved when there is more pleasure and less pain. Therefore, an act is good if it produces pleasure and diminishes pain. Utilitarianism is therefore the "greatest happiness for the greatest number".

It could be argued that utilitarianism was influenced by Hume who was a moral sentimentalist. Unlike Kant whose ...

Purchase this Solution
Free BrainMass Quizzes
Descartes Meditations on First Philosophy

Short quiz relating to Descartes

The World Health Organization

This quiz assesses the students knowledge about the World Health Organization. Although listed under “Philosophy” it is relevant to health care, political science, pre-med, and social scientist students as well.

View More Free Quizzes
Related BrainMass Solutions

  • Kantian and Utilitarian Ethics

    490209 Kantian and Utilitarian Ethics What are the main features of Kantian ethics? What are the main features of utilitarian ethics? Which view do you find most persuasive? Why?

  • Kantian vs. Utilitarian Ethical Decisions

    A brief explanation of a choice between Kantian or Utilitarian measures for personal ethics is posited. Over 100 words.

  • Moral Dilemmas-Utilitarian, Kantian and Rawisian

    In comparison, Utilitarian, Kantian, and Rawlsian are all methods of philosophy that are primarily based on fulfilling obligations for the betterment of others involved whether it is in direct correlation to organizations or whether it is the direct result

  • Ethics Theories & The Trolley Problems

    Evaluate the relative strengths and weaknesses of Utilitarian and Kantian ethics based on your answers to #2 and #3. If you had to pick one of these two theories to live under, which would it be and why?

  • Hacking Into Harvard

    This is due to the fact that hacking is an illegal activity which means that in all probability most individuals would not accept the overall activities of these hackers as morally justifiable. (Allen W. Wood, (2007). Kantian Ethics.

  • Life Support: Kantian Ethics

    There are two main camps that enter the debate, Kantian (negative rights) versus Utilitarian ethics (positive rights).

  • Kantian Ethics and Intention

    Impractiality is a major issue for Kantian thought. The major Kantian point of ethics is touched on briefly, identifying arguments for and against this theory, using consequential thought as a buffer and examples following in suit.

  • Advise on Exploring Utilitarianism via the Survival Lottery Concept

    Now, whereas the Utilitarian looks to consequences, and a very specific kind at that, the Kantian does not. Recall what, for the Kantian, the problem is with basing morality on the outcomes of actions.

  • Essay on the Ethical Issues in Consumerism

    Anti-Arguments The Utilitarian approach of egoistic is an approach that is opposed to utilitarian approach or against the ethical consumerism as this approach is known as ethics of self-interest or ethical egoism.

View More Related Solutions