"what are some problems with utilitarianism."

what are some problems with utilitarianism

Utilitarianism, while a popular and influential ethical theory, faces several significant philosophical and practical challenges:

Conflict with Individual Rights: A primary criticism is that utilitarianism can justify harming individuals or minorities if it benefits the majority. A classic example is the "Organ Harvest" dilemma, where a doctor might be logically compelled to kill one healthy person to save five others with their organs.

Measurement and Calculation Issues: Critics argue that it is nearly impossible to objectively measure and compare happiness or "utility" between different people. There is no standard "unit" of pleasure, and predicting the long-term consequences of every action is often impossible.

Excessive Demandingness: Because the theory requires individuals to always act in a way that maximizes global utility, it can be viewed as "too demanding." For example, it might imply that any money spent on personal luxuries is immoral if it could have saved more lives elsewhere (e.g., donated to GiveWell).

Neglect of Special Obligations: The theory's requirement for strict impartiality can conflict with common moral intuitions regarding personal relationships. A utilitarian might be required to save a stranger who could do more good for the world over their own child or spouse.

The "Repugnant Conclusion": Philosopher Derek Parfit argued that total utilitarianism leads to a "repugnant" result: a world with a massive population of people whose lives are barely worth living is considered better than a world with a smaller, much happier population, simply because the total sum of utility is higher in the larger group.

The "Utility Monster": This thought experiment describes a hypothetical being who gains much more utility from resources than anyone else. According to pure utilitarianism, all resources should go to this "monster," leaving everyone else with nothing, to maximize total happiness.

Undermining Trust and Justice: If people only followed rules when they produced the best outcome in that specific moment, it could erode social trust. For instance, a judge might find it "useful" to frame an innocent person to prevent a riot, but this would ultimately destroy public faith in the justice system.

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