Essay about Using Utilitarianism to Address Abortion

In this paper, I will be defining act utilitarianism and rule utilitarianism, use both standpoints from a rule utilitarian and an act utilitarian to decipher their responses to abortion, and investigate both claims to come to a conclusion if or if not utilitarianism is adequate enough argument to address abortion. First the definition of utilitarianism is, â€Å"An act is morally right if and only if it does more to improve overall happiness than any available alternative† (Farley). Overall happiness can also be used interchangeably by the words, happiness, pleasure or well-being. There are two types of utilitarians, the first is an act utilitarian, in which they seek actions that produce the greatest good. Act utilitarianism is more†¦show more content†¦If the parents, family members, or anyone involved with abortion is effected in a negative way that outweighs the positives, then abortion is morally impermissible again. In another case, if an abortion produces mor e good than bad in the parents, babies, or anyone else involved in the abortion, then abortion is morally permissible. Some parents do not want children or were not expecting to have a baby, and they get an abortion and later in life they are happier without the baby, then abortion is morally permissible. So in both cases what makes abortion morally permissible or impermissible depends on if that abortion would produce the greatest amount of good from having an abortion. I think the result would depend on the situation because in one scenario, abortion is morally permissible and with that comes a variety of different outcomes than if abortion is morally impermissible. I think it is more difficult to interpret the exact result an abortion according to act utilitarianism because there is no set rule or answer for each and every abortion situation because it includes more than just one general answer for each case. Each abortion is different and the people associated with the abortion is different so one cannot just give one answer that could be used to decide if abortion is morally permissible or not. Now looking at rule utilitarianism, deciding whether abortion is morally permissible or not is different than in actShow MoreRelatedThe Morality Of Sex Selection Essay1769 Words   |  8 PagesMorality of Sex-Selection Abortion Abortion by itself is a very prevalent aspect of life. Despite the controversies concerning the morality of abortion as a single unit, the world continues to allow the ethical, or unethical, work that is included in this practice. 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