The Main Strengths and Weaknesses of Utilitarianism Essay Example

so how can we possibly apply the rule of the greatest happiness for the greatest number if we do not know who will benefit most every time? It is also difficult to decide whether an outcome is morally good or bad. People have different opinions on what they think is right or wrong, so it would depend on the individual who is making the decision. This causes problems because a thing that is good to one person may at the same time be able to be bad to another, "One man's happiness is another man's pain.

Without an absolute definition of happiness, it is hard to arrive at a 'right' decision. Pleasure cannot be quantified, and so that pleasure is not the same for everyone, so we can therefore not measure the amount of pleasure or pain an action will cause when regarding another person. It is impossible to calculate or predict the amount of pleasure of pain any action will bring about as the consequences cannot be predicted. Another problem of Utilitarianism is the concept of time. Is its long term or short term pleasure more valuable?

For example, deciding whether to take drugs. The drug may give you a lot of short-term pleasure, but in the long term, it may cause more harm than good. Not taking the tablet would involve little or no risks and would avoid potential pain. Even here, you cannot predict the results of your decision, as there is no way of telling the effect the drug has on you until you have tried it. Not only is it hard to tell what will be the consequences

in the long run, but also if indeed this person will receive any harm from it.