Ethics Ethics And Ethics - 1468 Words

In Normative Ethics there are three distinct schools of thought, and each differentiate through moral intentions. Consequentialism relies on the consequences of an action in order to distinguish whether or not something is morally acceptable. Deontology considers the morality of an action by one’s reason for doing a certain deed. Lastly, virtue ethics bases morality off of virtuous character, and how a virtuous person would act given a certain predicament. Ultimately, consequentialism provides the most practical explanation for morality due to the notion of providing the best possible result. Contrarily, deontology and virtue ethics do not always provide an individual with the most sensible course of action, and therefore prove to be†¦show more content†¦According to Shafer-Landau, act utilitarianism holds â€Å"that an action is morally required just because it does more to improve overall well-being than any other action you could have done in the circumstancesâ₠¬  (122). Doing anything that does not provide well-being is not inherently moral, thus utilitarianism requires one to act with well-being in mind at all times. Furthermore, one has to be impartial, meaning no bias can be involved regarding the group of people one affects. Some find this to be a desirable aspect of utilitarianism, while others use this as a premise to object utilitarianism. Although there are many admirable qualities of consequentialism, there are reasonable objections to this theory. One of the main objections comes from the notion that one could violate another individual’s rights while acting in accordance with consequentialism. Shafer-Landau utilizes the example of torture to elaborate on the first objection (148). Obviously torture infringes on one’s intrinsic rights, but if torture in a particular circumstance provides more good than bad, it is morally acceptable. Some find this troubling, and thus find this objection grounds for consequentiali sm’s invalidity. Another objection towards consequentialism also can be deemed a positive characteristic, and this is the idea of impartiality. Impartiality suggests that no one is more important than another person,