Ethics;Act Utilitarianism

ETHICAL ISSUE – State the ethical issue that person faced – Use proper format – Make it bold print –
SHOULD………..?.
APPLICATION – Using the steps outlined in your text, apply each step to the situation. Fully show your
application. Use a chart as seen in your text.
Helpful hint – Don’t forget if a stakeholder is more than one person (a group, a family, a business etc.) estimate
how many are in the group and multiply the happiness number you generated by the number of persons in the
group (see text).
CONCLUSION (last step in the application) – Choose the best option. If that person were a true Act Utilitarian –
what would that person have done. What would the Utilitarian theory say is the morally right or best thing to
do?
Be sure to see Sample Format below
SAMPLE FORMAT
Summarize the article or briefly discuss the character and the issue surrounding the character.
Helpful Hints
The main ethical issue is stated in the proper format and a happiness/unhappiness scale is added.
The number I determine will represent happiness/unhappiness is added.
I then multiply that happiness/unhappiness number by the number of stakeholders if there is more than one
stakeholder.
Lastly the options columns are added showing the option(s) with the highest net utility.
Applying Act Utilitarianism – Using a chart as shown in chapter 5.
Ethical issue – What should X do about _____?
Scale = Happiness +10—————————0————————— -10 Unhappy
Options →
X could
X could
X could
X could