Utilitarianism and Deontology

Phil 240 – Ethics Third Paper: Utilitarianism and Deontology

Scenario
J. Archer works for a small manufacturing company that makes components for medical devices (the company is privately owned and employs about 60 people). As a single mom J. earns enough money to support her son reasonably well, but she wants to send him to a nearby private school. The public school where she lives is not great, but not in bad shape either. She always strives to provide the best for her son, and feels that sending them to the private school would give them many more advantages later in life (he has friends in the public school, but also knows and likes other kids in the private school; he would be happy attending either). The problem for J. is that on her current salary she cannot afford the tuition for her son at the private school. She already works long hours and can’t take on a second job. At her company J. handles accounting. She realizes that she can embezzle quite a bit of money from her employer and not get caught, more than enough to pay for the tuition for her son. She decides to take just enough to pay for her son’s tuition at the private school. It amounts to about $15,000 a year for the next six years.
Writing Your Paper
Write a 4 – 6 page paper using both act utilitarianism (but you can use rule utilitarianism also if you want) and Kantian ethics to determine whether J.’s action is morally permissible or not. Your paper should include the following: 1. A general explanation of both moral theories, including the fundamental concepts of each and brief description of how in general each determines right and wrong actions. 2. A specific account of what act utilitarianism would say about the morality of J.’s action 3. A specific account of what Kantian ethics would say about the morality of J.’s action, using both the first and the second formulations of the categorical imperative (for each
see below). 4. Your evaluation of each theory as applied to J.’s decision: using your own moral intuitions explain which theory:
a. Reaches the right answer b. Reaches the right decision for the best reasons. That is, in your view, which theory not only comes up with what you take to be the right answer, but also does the best job of justifying that answer? 5. This step is optional: if you actually disagree with both theories, either in 4(a) or 4(b), explain what you think is the best answer and/or the best justification. First formulation of the categorical imperative: “I should never act except in such a way that I can also will that my maxim should become a universal law” (p. 246). Second formulation of the CI: “Act in such a way that you treat humanity, whether in your own person or in the person of another, always at the same time as an end and never simply as a means” (p. 249).

Grading Criteria
1. Understanding of ideas and concepts and clarity of expression
How well do you understand the topic on which you are writing? To what degree have you mastered the relevant concepts, theories, and specific arguments that make up the issue on which you’re focusing? How well do understand the readings involved, and how clearly do you explain these? NOTE: As discussed in class, proofreading is key to writing clearly! A sentence may seem clear to you when you first write it. But returning to it later may reveal unclear sentences and passages that you didn’t initially notice.
2. Clarity and strength of your arguments
Is the thesis of your paper (the conclusion that you defend) clearly stated? Are your premises clearly stated? Do your premises support your conclusion? Are the premises on which you rely true, or at least plausible? Do you provide secondary arguments in support of your more controversial premises? Do you anticipate and respond to potential objections to your view?3. Originality
Does your essay contain your own original thinking, e.g., an argument of your own, or a unique way of interpreting or extrapolating from something another philosopher has written? Do you provide original examples to illustrate the points that you are making? NOTE: I’m not expecting entirely novel ideas (something no one has ever thought of before). Think carefully about what you believe on the topic you’ve chosen. Before you begin writing your paper, make notes on your stance, including why you hold the position you do. This exercise will help you meet this third criterion.
4. Organization
Is the paper clearly organized, with section breaks where appropriate and “sign post” language to guide the reader from one idea to the next? Do the transitions between paragraphs in a given section make sense? Do the transitions between sections make sense? Are you making clear to the reader what work each section of the paper is supposed to be doing?
5. Grammar, punctuation, and spelling
Is the paper clearly organized, with section breaks where appropriate and transition language to guide the reader from one idea to the next? Do the transitions between paragraphs in a given section make sense? Do the transitions between sections make sense? Are you making it clear to the reader what work each section of the paper is supposed to be doing?
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