Table of contentsMain strengths and weaknesses of utilitarianismStrengths of utilitarianism:Weaknesses of utilitarianism:Theory of hedonistic utilitarianism of Mill and BenthamConclusionUtilitarianism as a moral theory suggests that actions are described as morally right or morally wrong based on their utility values; it is true if their utility value leads to the greatest pleasure or happiness and it is false if their overall utility value leads to the greatest pain or sadness. Like any moral theory, utilitarianism has its own strengths and weaknesses. Utilitarianism is said to be universal when its standard principles are acceptable and applicable in different cultural contexts around the world. On the other hand, utilitarianism is structurally defined as impartial when the weight of the utility value or consequences of an action remains constant or impartial over the multiple subjects it affects. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essayMajor Strengths and Weaknesses of UtilitarianismStrengths of Utilitarianism: Focus on Overall Well-Being: Utilitarianism emphasizes maximizing overall well-being or happiness. It gives priority to the collective well-being of individuals, with the aim of creating the greatest happiness for the greatest number. This focus on the general good can promote a sense of social harmony and fairness. Objectivity and impartiality: Utilitarianism provides a relatively objective and impartial framework for decision-making. It encourages individuals to think about the consequences of their actions and evaluate them based on their overall impact on happiness. This emphasis on impartiality can help avoid bias and promote fairness. Flexibility and pragmatism: Utilitarianism is a flexible theory that allows different factors and circumstances to be taken into account. It takes into account the specific context and potential consequences of actions, providing a pragmatic approach to ethical decision-making. Promoting altruism and social welfare: Utilitarianism encourages individuals to act in ways that benefit others and promote social welfare. By prioritizing the happiness and well-being of all, it fosters a sense of altruism, empathy and concern for the common good. Weaknesses of Utilitarianism: Challenge of Measuring Happiness: One of the important criticisms of utilitarianism is the difficulty of objectively measuring happiness. or well-being. Quantifying and comparing the happiness of individuals or groups is a complex task, because happiness is subjective and can vary greatly from person to person. This challenge compromises the practicality of implementing utilitarian principles. Potential for injustice toward minority groups: Utilitarianism's emphasis on maximizing overall happiness may neglect the needs and rights of minority groups or individuals. An emphasis on the happiness of the majority could lead to the marginalization or oppression of minority interests or the violation of individual rights if it results in sacrificing their well-being for the common good. Lack of consideration for rights and justice: Critics argue that utilitarianism places insufficient emphasis on individual rights and justice. In some situations, following utilitarian principles may require violating individual rights or engaging in unjust actions if they produce the greatest overall happiness. This conflict with the principles of fairness and justice is a major concern for opponents of utilitarianism. Inability toconsider intrinsic values: Utilitarianism tends to focus on the instrumental value of actions (how they contribute to overall happiness) rather than considering intrinsic values, such as the moral value inherent in certain actions. This limitation ignores the importance of individual rights, autonomy, and other non-consequentialist ethical principles.Calculations: Utilitarianism often requires individuals to make complex calculations and predictions about the consequences of their actions . These calculations may involve weighing multiple factors, anticipating future outcomes, and considering long-term effects. The practical challenges and uncertainties involved in making such calculations can make utilitarianism difficult to apply in actual decision making. that the right course of action leads to the highest net utility value for pleasure, while the wrong course of action leads to the lowest net utility value for pleasure. In this case, the overall balance between pain and pleasure equals the utility of an action, and this is what defines hedonism. Furthermore, when utilitarianism is said to aim to maximize outcomes, it applies in situations where an agent performing an action selects only actions with optimal net utility values ​​for pleasure or pain based on the outcome wish. In this case, maximizing outcomes has everything to do with choosing the action with the maximum net utility value. Also known as the Felicific Calculus, Bentham's Hedonic Calculus is a standard methodology for calculating quantitative net utility values ​​of actions, based on seven standard elements defining action experiences. According to Bentham, to achieve the deontic status of an action, one must use a checklist of seven items to calculate the utilities of the action. The first two elements, which are the most fundamental from the entirely quantitative point of view of hedonic utility, are the intensity and duration of the action in question. The intensity and duration of action experiences is based on the idea that pain and pleasure can be measured by establishing a common unit of measurement for pain and pleasure that can be used, under similar conditions, to classify experiences of pleasure and pain such that each ranking is relative. to each other on a common cardinal scale. The remaining five items on the utilitarian calculus checklist are: certainty and uncertainty; fertility; proximity and distance; purity; and extent.Mill criticizes Bentham's method of hedonic calculation and Bentham's quantitative utilitarianism by extension because of the purely quantitative principle of the method. Mill argues that basing human pleasure and pain states of mind solely on intrinsic quantitative measures of intensity and duration, without considering the underlying quality of the experiences, is a mockery of developed human mental capacity . In this case, Mill argues that Bentham's hedonic calculus calculates the net utilities of actions primarily on the basis of the resulting duration and intensity of experiences of pain or pleasure, which are solely or primarily bodily experiences. According to Mill, human beings are very sophisticated creatures whose sense of pleasure and pain can by no means be limited to bodily pleasures like eating, massaging, or making love. Mill argues that Bentham's hedonic calculus is limited to primitive creatures like pigs and swine, because it assumes that human beings only experience bodily pleasures and pain, and that therefore only.