Jayne Schiess

9/29/2018

Philosophy 1000

Professor Bowen

Ethical Theory
 Every living person goes about their day and conducts themselves according to their

moral beliefs, often without any conscientious thought. People consciously and subconsciously

do what they think is right for each situation for many different reasons, ultimately it is what we

think will make us happy. Many philosophers have argued and talked about what makes

someone's actions ethical, this argument is still something philosophers ponder over this today.

Two big ethical Theories that are still being talked about to this day are the theories between

Kant's theory of deontology and Bentham and Mill's theory of utilitarianism. Both theories have

flaws and some very strong reasoning, however I agree more with Kant’s theory of deontology.

Kant’s theory of Deontology focuses on having a good will. By having a good will allows

us to be worthy of happiness. A good will, according to Kant, depends of the intention of good

will, regardless of the consequences. Meaning; no matter what the outcome would be for

yourself, if the meaning of your action is to do good or it is for the right reason then ultimately

the value of your will is good. As long as the motive is for the sake of duty and not the

conformity of duty persuaded by indignation. According to Kant, “A good will is not good

because of what it effects or accomplishes because of its fitness for attaining some proposed end;

it is good through its willing alone that is, good in itself.” Kant believed that part of Deontology

ethical theory is that it is an imperative. One’s will is connected to the the “oughts” or “shoulds”

of reason. Such as a person's own disposition, or something that is valid for every rational being.

One of the main points of Kant’s Deontology theory is that treating others as an end and not

simply a means. To simplify, it means that we shouldn’t treat people as a means to our own end,

we treat people as their own end because everybody is an end in themselves and have their own
value. This ties in with the other main point of Deontology that a person should act only of that

maxim if you would be okay with others doing the same thing. This idea is called the Universal

Law, do unto others as you would have them do unto you.

On the other had you have Bentham and Mill’s theory on Utilitarianism. This theory is

based on the idea that what makes something ethical or morally right is based on what will bring

about the most happiness. According to Bentham and Mill’s Utilitarianism theory, “That

principle which approves or disapproves of every action whatsoever, according to the tendency

which it appears to have to augment or diminish the happiness of the party whose interest is in

question.” A person's actions are morally right if what they have done brings about the most

happiness with in a community or for yourself. As long as your action has brought upon more

pleasure than pain. Bentham and Mill both agreed to this fact however they had different views

on how you can tell what is maximum happiness. Mill had recognized that some pleasures are

greater than others. Mill believed that happiness is intended pleasure. He believed that pleasure

was a qualitative component rather than a quantitative component. Bentham said that you can

measure a person's happiness or pleasure by measuring the intensity, duration, certainty,

propinquity, fecundity/purity, and extent. But like I stated before mills had recognized that some

pleasures have greater value or worth and that is something that you cannot measure. Mill had

stated “Of two pleasures, if there be one to which all or almost all who have experience of both

give a decided preference, irrespective of any feeling of moral obligation to prefer it, that is the

more desirable pleasure.”

Both Kant’s theory on Deontology and Bentham and Mill’s theory on Utilitarianism

have very good reasonings as to why their theory is more correct. Both theories relate to what
people are looking for in their lives and what drives people to act a certain way. However I

know that Kant’s theory is more accurate on how people behave based on ethics and morality in

certain ways to obtain happiness and why. Deontology address that happiness is the value of a

good will and that treating others as an end and not a means, is in some contradiction to Mills

and Bentham’s Utilitarianism, in which the theory states that a deed is ethically and morally

righted based on the level of happiness one obtained.

Deontology stated that having a good will is what makes us worthy of happiness. I

completely agree with this statement because I believe that no matter the outcome of your action,

if you have have pure intention to obtain what is right based on a concept or principle for

morality, there is dignity behind your action. What makes a principle or concept moral is if you

would be okay with everyone doing that exact same thing. Like what was mentioned earlier, the

Universal Law stated that one should “act only on that maxim if you would be okay with others

doing the same thing.” The maxim is the principle or concept that a person should follow. I feel

as if a majority of people at a very young age were taught to treat others the way that you want to

be treated. This is the exact same thing. At such a young age we were taught this concept

without even knowing it and have followed this rule for many years. Teachers and parents went

as far as calling it the golden rule. Kant had stated “ Live your life as though your every act were

to become a Universal Law.”

However; some may say that this statement is flawed. Based on what someone says or

uses as their maxim could change how it affects others, such as, someone believed it was okay

to lie and they don’t care if others lie to them. This law would then create conflict with those

who believe it is not okay to lie. That is why many people believe that the Utilitarian view of
this is the morally correct way to behave. Utilitarianism is based on the level of happiness a

action can bring and that is based on whether the happiness obtained outweighs the pain that is

brought. Mill had stated “Actions are right in proportion as they tend to promote happiness,

wrong as they tend to produce the reverse of happiness.” Although this point of view sounds

nice, this is also flawed. If a person obtains happiness from killing a person, regardless of the

perceived justifications, does that mean it is okay and we should continue to let them do so?

Because what is justified with in one group does not always lend that the same action is accepted

in another, the maximums of happiness are not equal. So you see, this goes back to the

Deontology point of view of changing the maxim. Even if a person had changed the maxim to

make it okay to lie, it still counteracts what Kant had said at the beginning of having a good will.

Continuing on with Deontology, the last point I would like to make pertains to why

Deontology is the more accurate ethical theory based on how you treat others. Kant had stated, “

Act in such a way that you always treat humanity, whether in your own person or in the person

of any other, never simply as a means, but always at the same time as an end.” You shouldn’t use

a person to gain happiness because ultimately that happiness is not true happiness and will not

grant you total satisfaction and instead will leave you empty. A person is an end with in

themselves and you should treat a person with humanity and dignity. This once again ties in with

one's own will and the law of reason based on one's own inclination or one that is valid for every

rational being.

I agree with Kant's view of Deontology because in order to create happiness and be

happy you should have a good intention or will followed by the way you treat and interact with

others because that is quality happiness that you can obtain.

 References

“Ethics - Introduction to Ethics: An End-in-Itself.” ​BBC​, BBC,

www.bbc.co.uk/ethics/introduction/endinitself.shtml.

Google Search​, Google, www.google.com/search?q=Kant's theory

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