Skip to main content

Ethical and Human Development through Utilitarianism-Ensuring Integrity


Utilitariaism argues that ethics is based upon its utility to maximum good. Discussed in by John Stuart Mill in significant detail he explains that most human beings are focused on relatively simple animalistic type beliefs and therefore have little value in their hedonistic behaviors. As people develop they are capable of engaging in more complex morality and fostering greater good.

It isn't necessarily a bad thing to gain short-term pleasures from life. This is a little bit of a spice. Yet the utility of such actions should not necessarily do any harm to others. Simple gain doesn't mean it should take from someone else. Enjoying a sweet piece of pumpkin pie should not come from theft of that pie that takes from someone else.

Some people think beyond their biological urges and more into the greater good of society. We find examples of heroes and martyrs in history that help us redefine ethical and moral behavior. They have developed to a point where they take action and sacrifice for a greater cause to ensure that the maximum amount of people benefit.

That requires a level of human development beyond rudimentary understandings focused on self-gratification. It requires thinking beyond our own needs and this is based in more abstract knowledge and reflective thought processes. This is something that is closely associated with developmental capacity, environment, and intelligence.

Sometimes our developmental level and our responsibilities are on two different levels. Let us assume you are an authority figure like a police officer, judge, or public official and have a larger responsibility to society. Yet your decisions are based in hedonistic pleasures related to arrests levels, feelings of power that groom self-perceptions or making outlandish statements to gain re-election.

One would have to question the potential damage such individuals cause if their development isn't at a level that ensures they can truly fulfill the needs of their position with integrity. If their activities are more focused on their own pleasures and advantages than the needs of the people they have authority over then, such individuals should be stripped of their power.

The best in society are the ones who can think about their own needs but put them in relation to the benefits to society. Good police officers, judges and politicians are capable of thinking about the long-term transactional trust that society is based on and ensure their authority is used appropriately to raise that trust to maintain good order in society.

All systems should encourage good behavior by review and remove mechanisms that help support positive pro-social behaviors that encourage development. Those who act in self-serving or anti-social behaviors must have some mechanisms that will help expose and remove such violators or risk the integrity of the system.

All positions are capable of being compromised by the individuals who reside in them. It doesn't matter what type of positions were are talking about because human beings are inherently flawed. Religious, government, social, business, and any other system is based upon the beliefs of the people who engage in them. When people stop believing the system, it begins to dissipate and break down.

Promotion and advancement of individuals in society to higher level of responsibility should have at least some ethical aspect to ensure maximum benefits to others. Because human beings are sometimes promoted based upon other factor not associated with their capacity to handle responsibility there must always be working cross mechanisms to maintain the integrity of the position.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

The Meaning of A Boundless Moment by Robert Frost

A Boundless Moment by Robert Frost He halted in the wind, and — what was that Far in the maples, pale, but not a ghost? He stood there bringing March against his thought, And yet too ready to believe the most. "Oh, that's the Paradise-in-bloom," I said; And truly it was fair enough for flowers had we but in us to assume in march Such white luxuriance of May for ours. We stood a moment so in a strange world, Myself as one his own pretense deceives; And then I said the truth (and we moved on). A young beech clinging to its last year's leaves. The poem is one of seasons changing and the cycle of life. Each May the bloom comes out and brings life to the death of winter. The poem is about a single moment when the characters see that life has changed. The layers of meaning can be deep but on the surface it appears Robert Frost is discussing nature and its cyclical momentum.   Everything in nature moves through patterns. The poem indicates that

Art Review: The Kiss by Gustav Klimt

The Kiss is Gustav Klimt’s most famous and well known painting. Produced in 1908 in Vienna, Austria and incorporated oil and gold life on the canvas ( 1 ). This was unique for his time and represents both tile works with Asiatic influence. The painting and the romance it brings forward is still wonderment to onlookers. The picture depicts a passionate relationship between a man and woman in a sort of perfect place.  The couple is embracing, bodies entwined, wearing robes of wealth and decadence. It provides linear constructs of the Art Nouveau style and the movement of arts with crafts ( 2 ). The male is square and masculine while the woman painted is in curves to represent femininity. The couple is a pair with the woman and man equal in stature. They are in a field of flowers and appear to rise above it.  To many this painting represents the concept that love has no bounds. Social position or worldly wealth cannot hide what goes on under the fancy clothes and standard m

The Nine Parries of Saber Fencing

The Parry is important for defending against attacks and offers an opportunity to counter attack. Without learning parries it will be difficult to effectively compete in fencing. Your body will be generally open to seasoned fencers. Practicing defending against attacks using multiple parries is important for creating the highest levels of competitive skill. The most common parries used are Parry of Four, Parry of Six, Parry of Seven, and Parry of Eight ( 1 ). They are designed to protect your right side, left side, lower stomach, middle of your stomach. They are parries designed to cover the core areas of your body and help you defend against the majority of fencing attacks.   Prime: Stops a cut to the chest. Seconde: Stops a low cut to the flank Tierce: Stops high cut to the flank Quarte: Stops high cut to the chest. Quinte: Stops cut to head. Sixte : Stops cut to head. Septime: Stops cut to back. Octave: Stops cut to flank. Neuvieme: Protects Back Mic