It is sometimes said that act utilitarianism requires us to do whatever will benefit the greatest number of people, or that utilitarianism requires us to do whatever generates the greatest amount of happiness. Explain why both of these are misconceptions, giving examples to illustrate your points.

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The Answer is Both of these statements are misconceptions because they oversimplify the principles of act utilitarianism and utilitarianism as a whole. Act utilitarianism does not simply require us to do whatever will benefit the greatest number of people, nor does it require us to do whatever generates the greatest amount of happiness.

Act utilitarianism is the ethical theory that the best action is the one that maximizes utility, which is often defined as the greatest happiness for the greatest number of people. However, this does not mean that we should always prioritize the majority over the minority or that we should only focus on happiness as the sole measure of utility.

For example, consider a scenario where a doctor has five patients in need of organ transplants, and a healthy person walks into the hospital. According to the misconception, the doctor should prioritize the greatest number of people and harvest the healthy person's organs for the benefit of the five patients. However, this goes against our moral intuitions and the rights of the individual. Act utilitarianism would require the doctor to consider the overall consequences of their actions, including the impact on the individual's rights and well-being.

Similarly, utilitarianism as a whole does not solely focus on generating the greatest amount of happiness. It also considers other factors such as justice, fairness, and the long-term consequences of actions. For example, if a government were to implement policies that benefit the majority but oppress a minority group, this would not align with utilitarian principles as it would violate the principles of justice and fairness.

In conclusion, both of these statements are misconceptions because they fail to capture the complexity and nuance of act utilitarianism and utilitarianism. These ethical theories require a careful consideration of the overall consequences of actions, including the impact on individuals, justice, and fairness, rather than simply prioritizing the greatest number of people or the generation of happiness.

It Is Sometimes Said That Act Utilitarianism Requires Us to Do