Considering the Consequences of Your Actions

An Ethical Viewpoint

In this essay I will prove why is it necessary to consider the consequences of our actions before we make a decision. In order to do this I will look at the theories of John Stuart Mill and Immanual Kant. John Stuart Mill's theory of Utilitarianism shows that we should consider the consequences of our actions when determining if they are right or wrong. Immanual Kant's theory of Deontology states that we are not acting morally unless we act of a sense of duty. To prove that considering consequences is necessary I will look at this theories and apply several examples. When making a moral decision it is necessary to consider the consequences of your actions and increase the total happiness in the world.

In order to understand why considering the consequences of your actions are important, one must understand the theory of Utilitarianism. Utilitarianism is a theory first proposed by David Hume but later refined and formulated by John Stuart Mill and Jeremy Bentham. Utilitarianism is a form of consequentalism, a theory that holds that the consequences of any action form the basis for a valid moral judgment about that action. It is an ethical theory that seeks to maximize the good consequences of any action for a population. The consequences most frequently sought to maximize are happiness and pleasure.