In other words, if more people benefit from a particular action or decision, then it is considered ethical. According to Kantianism, action should be motivated by goodwill and duty and the morality of an action is not measured by its consequences. Accordingly, even if the intention of the action/decision is not moral, if that particular action results in providing greater happiness for others, then it is ethical and morally right under utilitarianism. Kantianism … Emmanuel Kant, advocating absolutism, and John Stuart Mill, who supports utilitarianism, represent two of the most prominent theories. However, according to utilitarianism, an action is considered moral and good if it results in providing greater happiness for others, regardless of its intention; hence an action is measured by its consequences. The theory says that people choose actions that help in maximizing happiness and at the same time remove misery, pain and agony. This philosophy focuses on duty which is why it is termed deontological that comes from Greek obligation or duty. Driver, Julia. “John Stuart Mill by London Stereoscopic Company, c1870” By London Stereoscopic Company – Hulton Archive (Public Domain) via Commons Wikimedia3. Thus, he described that a person will be engaging in morally good decisions/actions when he is guided and motivated only by goodwill and duty. Also, this theory was developed as a result of an attempt to direct the lawmakers of England to consider the common good rather than the welfare of their social class when formulating laws. There are many similarities between utilitarianism and Kantianism that confuse some people. • Attitude towards what is right or wrong is what constitutes the basic difference between utilitarianism and Kantianism. Kantian moral theory believes that in order for people to act morally, people’s actions need to follow consistency, reasons, and fairness (Shafer- … Length: 4 / 1052. Both Kantianism and utilitarianism are ethical theories that express the ethical standard of an action. 6. There is hardly any similarity between utilitarianism and Kantianism. Deontological ethics is an ethics system that judges whether an action is right or wrong based on a moral code. utilitarianism have made clear,22 any possible utilitarianism is some combination of (i) a doctrine of the end-state to be realized, that is, a condition or state of affairs deemed to have Both of these theories were introduced during the 18th century. There are two classical types of utilitarianism, which are act and rule utilitarianism. What are the Similarities Between Kantianism and Utilitarianism      – Outline of Common Features 4. In regards to Mill, there are situations where sometimes quantity overrules. It is easier to determine an action as morally right in Kantian ethics than in utilitarian ethics. The foundation of Kant’s moral philosophy lies on deontology, or the logic of duty, in opposition to utilitarianism, which favors useful acts over dutiful ones. “California State University Sacramento, Available here. Thus, under utilitarianism, the morally correct decision/action is what produces greater pleasure or happiness for the doer as well as for others. Utilitarianism has its benefits but requires much more effort to do than Kant’s ethics. What is the Difference Between Kantianism and Utilitarianism       – Comparison of Key Differences, Ethics, Morals, Kantianism, Utilitarianism, Theories, Philosophy. This ethics system is intended to be precise and by the book. Kant discusses that the mentioned human reason should be devoid of the influence of desires or emotions. “947574” (CC0) via Pixabay. 451). 3. Simply because you are a human, you have worth in and of yourself. Utilitarianism is based on the principle of utility, which emphasizes on the idea of being more useful and beneficial for a majority. “Chapter 8: Ethics; UTILITARIANISM .” What Is Philosophy?, Available here. Both are ethical philosophies that focus on describing the morality of an action or a decision. Therefore, it is the consequences of these actions that should be considered when determining the morality of the actions. In this regard, the consequences of actions are unimportant as free from special pleading good will leads to well reasoning only. Thus, this is the fundamental difference between Kantianism and Utilitarianism. “Kantianism.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 26 Sept. 2018, Available here. Show More. Kantianism and Utilitarianism are ethical philosophies that give moral guidance to individual actions and decisions. Utilitarianism vs. Kantianism According to Thiroux and Krasemann (2012), utilitarianism is, “a normative ethical theory originally established by Jeremy Bentham and John Stuart Mill that advocates brining about good consequences or happiness to all concerned” (pp. Utilitarianism vs. Kantianism According to Thiroux and Krasemann (2012), utilitarianism is, “a normative ethical theory originally established by Jeremy Bentham and John Stuart Mill that advocates brining about good consequences or happiness to all concerned” (pp. Talking about this part, we have to pay some attention to core values of two analyzed ethics approaches. Kant stated that a universal law should provide the basis for each act, and that the intention was of more importance than the result. Utilitarianism has its benefits but requires much more effort to do than Kant’s ethics. However, under utilitarianism, lying is OK if it brings pleasure and happiness to most of the people. “Kantianism > Utilitarianism.” Postcolonial Studies, Curbside Consult, Available here. However, these two philosophies take on different standpoints on ethics. “The History of Utilitarianism.” Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, Stanford University, 27 Mar. The main difference between Kantianism and Utilitarianism is that Kantianism is a deontological moral theory whereas utilitarianism is a teleological moral theory. 451). Unlike religious deontological … Please enable Javascript and refresh the page to continue Difference Between Ethnic Cleansing and Genocide, Difference Between First Name and Last Name, Difference Between Libertarian and Anarchist, Difference Between Coronavirus and Cold Symptoms, Difference Between Coronavirus and Influenza, Difference Between Coronavirus and Covid 19, Difference Between Marginal Costing and Differential Costing, Difference Between N Glycosylation and O Glycosylation, Difference Between Epoxy and Fiberglass Resin, Difference Between Baricitinib Tofacitinib and Upadacitinib, Difference Between Galvanizing and Tinning. However, these two diverge in their focus. Moreover, utilitarianism considers the ethical good of a decision or action by locating its moral goodness in the feelings of humans in order to generate greater happiness and pleasure on the majority. Deontology or deontological theories are those that focus on ethics involving responsibility, moral duty, and commitment. The worth of any human action depends upon its utility or value. The Categorical imperative is an expression of the moral law. What is Kantianism      – Definition, Theory, Characteristics  2. 1761 Words 8 Pages. Kant vs. Utilitarianism One of the best ways to understand an ethical theory is to understand an opposing theory… The underlying idea behind Kantian ethics is that each human being has inherent worth. “Immanuel Kant 3” By “Masters of Achievement” text (Public Domain) via Commons Wikimedia2. 1. This chapter compares and contrasts rule-utilitarian and Kantian thinking about what moral rules should be accepted and what exceptions they should allow. We do not, and may never, know just what particular rules would maximize expected aggregate utility, and the relevant Kantian perspective is not a fully determinate decision procedure. Author: Jessica F. Date: December 8, 2015. What is Utilitarianism      – Definition, Theory, Characteristics 3. I will be focusing on just two of the theories that we’ve covered: the Kantian perspective and the Utilitarian perspective. 2016, Available here. Utilitarianism makes ethical decisions based on the results that the action will cause. Kant postulated this theory to give ethical guidelines to people when making ethical decisions or actions. Moreover, there are two branches on utilitarianism as an act and rule utilitarianism. These are associated with morality. The ethical systems of Kant and Mill: A comparison and contrast Ricardo Renta Pages: 9 (2158 words) Utilitarianism vs. Kantianism Pages: 4 (894 words) Kants Ethics vs Utilitarianism Pages: 3 (686 words) The Ethics of Abortion: Utilitarianism, Buddhism & Kant. The main difference between Kantianism and Utilitarianism is that Kantianism is a deontological moral theory whereas utilitarianism is a teleological moral theory. • Lying is universally wrong and thus it is wrong in Kantianism too. 1. @media (max-width: 1171px) { .sidead300 { margin-left: -20px; } } Those who are followers of Kantianism say that this approach does not take into account the good of the minorities. Essay text: He names this moral action a ‘duty.’ Kant also believes that in determining the moral worth of an action, we need to look at the maxim by which it was performed. Immanuel Kant is a firm believer that every person has…show more content… Utilitarian’s believe that under certain circumstances an abortion could be justified. However, for the Kantian theory, it is believed that human reason is the only pure good, and they disregard the consequences. Vleeschauwer, Herman Jean de. According to him, the morality of an action is not based on its consequences. Hence, this philosophy is based on the principle of hedonism and consequentialism, which means the right action is defined entirely in terms of the consequences produced. Utilitarianism Vs Kant. 2009, Available here. All rights reserved. Pecorino, Philip A. Utilitarianism requires too much concentration on individual aspects of what the greatest happiness is and basing moral standards around them. While there are many approaches to ethics in the west, here we will look at three distinct theories. Kant described that duty, goodwill, and moral worth are vital to determine the morality of an action. And that an act is justified if the end result is happiness for all. Kantianism is the ethical theory put forward by the German philosopher Immanuel Kant (1724-1804) in the 18th century. Act utilitarianism is right only if the result of good is just as much or more than any other available substitute. This is a philosophy put forward by Immanuel Kant, a German philosopher who was born in Prussia. Immanuel Kant, the ethics systems celebrated proponent, formulated the most influential form of a secular deontological moral theory in 1788. Pages: 9 (2021 words) Home » Public » People » Philosophy » What is the Difference Between Kantianism and Utilitarianism. However, there are important differences between the two philosophies that will be outlined in this article. There are two classical types of utilitarianism, which are act and rule utilitarianism. The main difference between Kantianism and Utilitarianism is that Kantianism is a deontological theory while utilitarianism is a teleological theory. Kantian Moral Theory I agree with Kantian moral theory instead of utilitarianism because I find Kantian reasoning to be more agreeable than utilitarianism. Utilitarianism is considered one of the most powerful approaches to normative ethics in philosophy. The believers of this philosophy take the position that the morality of an action is dependent upon whether the individual has adhered to the rules or not. 5. “Kantianism.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., 10 Mar. have to be prohibited even though sometimes such actions will also result in more happiness than other alternatives. Heather Wilburn. One principle lies at the heart of both utilitarianism and absolutism. • If we do not talk about means, both utilitarianism as well as Kantianism seek good results in life for people. DEONTOLOGY vs UTILITARIANISM The theory of deontology is derived from the writings of German philosopher Immanuel Kant (1724-1804). Those who are not students of philosophy, words like utilitarianism and Kantianism may sound alien, but for those who try to tackle questions of ethics and wisdom, these two represent important viewpoints. • On the other hand, Kantianism says that the end does not justify means. The theories also differ when you begin to look at Kant's second categorical imperative, which states that one should treat humanity always as an end and never as a means only. Kantianism is a moral philosophy introduced by Immanuel Kant that emphasizes that morality of an action/decision is not determined by its consequences but by the motivation of the doer whereas Utilitarianism is a moral philosophy introduced by Jeremy Bentham, John Stuart Mill, Henry Sidgwick, etc. In my opinion, both Mill’s utilitarianism theory and Kant’s theory of deontology can be superior depending on the situation. Aristotle’s approach is agent-centered in that it focuses on the development of the individual, which in turn, benefits society as a whole. On the contrary, utilitarianism states that a good ethical decision is gauged by the amount of pleasure that the act Kant Vs Utilitarian Theory 1111 Words | 5 Pages According to Kant, a purely good act is performed due to the person’s obligation to the categorical imperative. Level: Grade: A. 2. Thus, this article looks at this difference between Kantianism and Utilitarianism. Moreover, Kantianism is postulated by Immanuel Kant while Utilitarianism is postulated by Jeremy Bentham, John Sturt Mill, Henry Sidgwick, et al. Though people tend to consider the two terms Utilitarianism and Deontology as similar, there are certain differences between the two terms. I believe the lives of all are valuable but generally speaking, the loss of … Difference Between Positivism and Realism, What is the Difference Between Chia and Basil Seeds, What is the Difference Between Soy and Paraffin Wax, What is the Difference Between Red and White Miso, What is the Difference Between Bamboo and Cotton Sheets, What is the Difference Between Nylon and Polyester Carpet, What is the Difference Between Running Shoes and Gym Shoes, Kantianism and Utilitarianism were introduced during the 18. Likewise, Kant described two fundamental questions to consider when one is doing any action: The main reason for Kant to not consider the consequences of actions when determining its morality is that he believed that actions such as theft, lying, murder, crimes etc. 4. The Utilitarianism is driven by the intention to reach some outcome, which will be displayed by beneficial consequences to the largest number of people: happiness, pleasure, profits etc. Moreover, he further explained that humans, being rational beings, should use their reasoning ability or rational thinking when making ethical decisions. Act utilitarianism is right only if the result of good is just as much or more than any other available substitute. This is a philosophy that believes that consequences of an action are responsible for people judging that action as morally right or wrong. Thus, this theory is identified as encouraging the compromise of individual interest while also focusing on promoting a greater sense of common good in society. Our next stop in our tour of the ethical lay of the land is utilitarianism. Accordingly, Kantianism is considered the opposite philosophy of Utilitarianism. Unlike Utilitarianism, Kant's ethical system represents a universal categorical imperative rule of ethics. Hence, this theory belongs to deontological moral theories. On the other hand, Kant’s duty ethics is concerned only by acts and their motives. Hence, this is another difference between Kantianism and Utilitarianism. Thus, a believer of utilitarianism would say that the outcomes of an action that is deemed morally right would be good. 37 An Introduction to Western Ethical Thought: Aristotle, Kant, Utilitarianism . Coming from Engineering cum Human Resource Development background, has over 10 years experience in content developmet and management. Kant’s Groundworks of the Metaphysics of Morals and Mill’s Utilitarianism present morality from two vastly different perspectives. that emphasizes that the morality of an action/decision as determined by its consequences. Terms of Use and Privacy Policy: Legal. This simply means that the end justifies means. Her academic interests are English language, European and Oriental Languages, Internal Affairs and International Politics, and Psychology. Mill is one of the philosophers who described the moral theory of utilitarianism, an ethical view that can help an individual in making decisions. Deontology v. Utilitarianism: Deontology is an argument for moral principles that are found using reason and was best articulated by Immanuel Kant. By doing so, promoting fairness and equality theory I agree with Kantian moral theory instead of utilitarianism, ethics! The opposite philosophy of utilitarianism, Kant 's ethical system represents a universal categorical imperative is expression! Not measured by its consequences reasoning only kant vs utilitarianism for others then it is considered ethical content developmet management! 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