Essay on Role of Happiness in Ethical Decisions - 1209 Words

â€Å"All our knowledge begins with the senses, proceeds then to the understanding, and ends with reason. There is nothing higher than reason† (Kant 1). The usage of reason as a representation of one’s intellect is a common trait in the 21st century. Happiness, a positive emotion, tends to blur one’s judgement and coerces philosophers to look upon its relevance when formulating ethical decisions. When considering the role of emotion in ethical decisions, one must consider the contrasting views of Immanuel Kant, an 18th Prussian philosopher that focussed his philosophies around the doctrine of reason, in comparison to that of John Stewart Mill, a 19th century British philosopher that followed the doctrine of happiness through the ideology of†¦show more content†¦Happiness to Mill is defined through his ideology of utilitarianism, which states that one must make decisions to bring about the greatest amount of happiness for the most amounts of people. Essen tially, morality is defined by the decrease in pain and the increase in happiness. Unlike Kantian ethics, Mill does not discriminate between the doctrines of reason and happiness, and believes of the existence of universal happiness. . Many argue that Kant’s exclusion of happiness from his ethical theories is a call for concern. John Steward Mill, a utilitarian, follows a theory that is in direct contrast to that of Kant since he concentrates on the consequences on actions. Utilitarianism seeks to provide happiness to the greatest amount while being fair and considering everyone equal. People are said to be happiest if they can do what they want; however, if everyone did what they wanted, then a lot of people would be unhappy. In order to promote happiness, people should be able to do what they want as long it has an overall positive impact. Theoretically speaking, a utilitarian would say that it is acceptable to pass a red light if no one is looking and if you know it wouldn t hurt anyone. This is because it would increase your happiness without causing any unhappiness. Another example of this theory in work is in a situation where an individual out of 10 people must be thrown out of a boat. In thisShow MoreRelatedIs It Feasible To Find A Method Which We Can Use To Evaluate1632 Words   |  7 PagesIs it feasible to find a method which we can use to evaluate moral decisions and prove whether a person acted morally right or wrong? Philosophers have come up with a number of unique views which attempt to be the universal standard for evaluating these decisions, yet others tend to think that cultural relativism is the only answer to this issue. Cultural relativism is the idea that moral rights and wrongs change based on the culture that you are immersed in. 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