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Utilitarian Morality Utilitarianism And Moral Essay

Similarly, it might happen. that the general welfare is promoted by punishing people excessively -- a greater punishment might have a greater deterrent effect. But both of these are, on their face,.violations of justice, which Retributivism would never allow." (Rachels, 135) The danger presented here is one which threatens under any condition of ethical diversion. In the case of lying, there is an inherent danger that establishing an acceptance of divergence from truth as a moral norm under the pretense that such lying is geared toward sustenance of happiness could open the floodgates for the spectrum of interpretations as to how such happiness may be optimally attained. Herein lay the promise of a breakdown in social order about which Kant initially warns.

Mill's rule of exception, which allows that lying is wrong only 'in general,' is one founded on the intent to disestablish the hegemonic establishment of moral values. By siting happiness as the primary directive of morality, the utilitarians do succeed at removing many of the ulterior motives...

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However, Kant's framework is far more convincing. While moral absolutes may often have the effect of inciting close and warranted scrutiny, Kant makes a compelling case that it is not necessarily permissible to abandon certain unchangeable parameters to ethical decision-making. While it is still debatable whether or not there are exceptions to morality regarding lying, Kant illustrates effectively that the subject of truth is too important to be left to the chance of subjectivity.
Works Cited

Albot, Phillip. (2002). Two Senses of 'Right.' Department of Philsophy: Washington University. Online at http://faculty.washington.edu/wtalbott/phil338/trFCSS&N.html

Kant, I. 1785. Groundwork for the Metaphysics of Morals. Jonathan Bennett

Rachels, James. (1993). The Utilitarian Approach. The Elements of Moral Philosophy, pg. 91-101. New York: McGraw Hill.

Rachels, James. (1993). Kant and Respect for Persons. The Elements of Moral Philosophy, pg. 127-138. New York: McGraw Hill.

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Works Cited

Albot, Phillip. (2002). Two Senses of 'Right.' Department of Philsophy: Washington University. Online at http://faculty.washington.edu/wtalbott/phil338/trFCSS&N.html

Kant, I. 1785. Groundwork for the Metaphysics of Morals. Jonathan Bennett

Rachels, James. (1993). The Utilitarian Approach. The Elements of Moral Philosophy, pg. 91-101. New York: McGraw Hill.

Rachels, James. (1993). Kant and Respect for Persons. The Elements of Moral Philosophy, pg. 127-138. New York: McGraw Hill.
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