John Rawls and Utilitarianism - 2033 Words

John Rawls and Utilitarianism Heath C. Hoculock The social contract theory of John Rawls challenges utilitarianism by pointing out the impracticality of the theory. Mainly, in a society of utilitarians, a citizens rights could be completely ignored if injustice to this one citizen would benefit the rest of society. Rawls believes that a social contract theory, similar those proposed by Hobbes, Locke, and Rousseau, would be a more logical solution to the question of fairness in any government. Social contract theory in general and including the views of Rawls, is such that in a situation where a society is established of people who are self interested, rational, and equal, the rules of justice are established by what is mutually†¦show more content†¦The second states that under utilitarianism, a slaves misery would not matter since overall satisfaction is increased. It is just this reasoning that Rawls proves his theories superior. Rawls feels that utilitarianism does not take into account the individual and pays too much mind to the general happiness. Rawls argues that in this case everyone would be better off with his social contract theory rather than utilitarianism since under his theory general happiness would still be increased, but at the expense of no one or few. Rawls believes that the happiness of many may indeed out weigh the happiness of the few, but to govern by this would be unfair and unjust. I feel that Mill would disagree with Rawls interpretation utilitarianism. In chapter two of Mills 1863 book Utilitarianism, Mill states the following: actions are right in proportion as they tend to promote happiness; wrong as they tend to produce the opposite of happiness. Mill explains that the principle of utility should only be used as a tool for generating secondary moral principles such as, one should not lie to others so as to preserve or increase general happiness. Mill goes on to say that we should only go solely by the principle of utility when faced with a moral dilemma betwee n two or more secondary principles. For example, according to Mill, I should protect my neighbor from harm and I should not deceive another. So if oneShow MoreRelatedUtilitarianism, By John Rawls And Robert Nozick1486 Words   |  6 PagesUtilitarianism is a moral theory according to which an action is right if and only if it conforms to the principle of utility. An action conforms to the principle of utility if and only if its performance will be more productive of pleasure or happiness, or more preventive of pain and happiness, than any alternative. The rightness of an action entirely depends on the value of its consequences, this is why the theory is described as consequentialist. The â€Å"separateness of persons† is an objection againstRead MoreTheory of Justice972 Words   |  4 Pagesinformation on John Rawls. It will give the principles of the theory and explain what they mean. It will also explain how the principles of these theories differ from traditional utilitarianism. Lastly it will show how justice is defined by modern criminal justice agencies and other entities involved in the criminal justice sy stem and how it differs from security. John Bordley Rawls is one of the most important philosophers of the twentieth century. He was born the son of William Lee Rawls and Anna AbelRead MoreUtilitarianism And Justice Theory1396 Words   |  6 Pages Utilitarianism and Justice Theory Jacob Holman Northern Arizona University July 27, 2017 In the history of philosophy and ethics there have been many great philosophers who have come up with theories to understand if a decision is ethical, what rules should be followed to make ethical decisions, and if the results of decisions determine whether the decision is ethical or not. A comparison of Consequentialist theory and Justice theory will show that each have different methods ofRead Moreveil of ignorance1674 Words   |  7 Pagesthe strengths and weaknesses of John Rawls’ ‘Veil of Ignorance’ method† In John Rawls A Theory of Justice, he argues that morally, society should be constructed politically as if we were all behind a veil of ignorance; that is, the rules and precepts of society should be constructed as if we had no prior knowledge of our future wealth, talents, and social status, and could be placed in any other persons societal position (Velasquez, 2008). Through this, Rawls believes that people will createRead MoreAnalysis Of John Stuart Mill s Veil Of Ignorance And The Classic Social Contract Theory Essay1399 Words   |  6 Pagesorganization of this exploration concentrates on three areas of focus. First, this paper seeks to explain how the modern social contract theorist, John Rawls’, attempts to enhance the classic utilitarian views of John Stuart Mill, as well as the classic social contract theories of Thomas Hobbes and Jean Jacques Rousseau. Secondly, this evaluation posits how Rawls’ â€Å"veil of ignorance† and â€Å"difference princ iple† might apply to the socioeconomic issue of access (or, lack thereof) to health care in the UnitedRead MoreShaw and Barry Essay934 Words   |  4 Pagesdistinguish two different forms of utilitarianism. What are these two forms? Briefly describe each and use examples. Two different forms of utilitarianism are described in our text. The first is called act utilitarianism. According to Shaw and Barry, act utilitarianism states that we must ask ourselves what the consequences of a particular act in a particular situation will be for all those affected (p.60). The second form of utilitarianism is called rule utilitarianism. According to our text, thisRead MoreUtilitarianism can be used to describe the reasons why healthcare should be made available900 Words   |  4 PagesUtilitarianism can be used to describe the reasons why healthcare should be made available universally; why maximization of access to healthcare should be pursued for the greatest number of people (Wilson). Utilitarianism is a theory of consequences, in which the results of actions should determine their moral value. It can be summarized by the greatest happiness principle, which John Stuart Mill describes as â€Å"happiness is desirable, and the only thing desirable, as an end; all other things beingRead MoreRawls Justice As Fairness1602 Words   |  7 PagesRawls’ Justice as Fairness: John Rawls was dissatisfied with the traditional philosophical approach to justifying social and political actions therefore he attempted to provide a reasonable theory of social justice through a contract theory approach. In his work, A Theory of Justice, Rawls bases almost the entirety of his piece on the question, what kind of organization of society would rational persons choose if they were in an initial position of independence and equality and setting up a systemRead MoreJohn Rawls’ A Theory of Justice Essay964 Words   |  4 PagesJohn Rawls’ A Theory of Justice holds that a rational, mutually disinterested individual in the Original Position and given the task of establishing societal rules to maximise their own happiness throughout life, is liable to choose as their principles of justice a) guaranteed fundamental liberties and b) the nullification of social and economic disparities by universal equality of opportunities, which are to be of greatest benefit to the least advantaged members of society , . Rawls’ system ofRead MoreJohn Rawls : The First Of Five Children Of William Lee Rawls And Anna Abell Stump917 Words   |  4 PagesJohn Rawls was one of the most important political philosophers of the twentieth century. He was born on February 21, 1921 in Baltimore, Maryland. John Rawls was the second of five children of William Lee Rawls and Anna Abell Stump. After attending an Episcopalian preparatory school in Connecticut, he entered Princeton University, where he earned his bachelor’s degree in 1943. Later that year, he enlisted in the army and served with the infantry in the South Pacific until 1945. In 1946, he returned